


Loving can Hurt

by CompassedShip



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: A/B/O, Accidental Mating, Alpha Liam Payne, Alpha Louis, Alpha Zayn, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Heavy Angst, M/M, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Harry, Omega Niall, Omega Perrie, One-Sided Love, Oral Sex, Pregnant Sex, Sad Harry, Unplanned Pregnancy, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-04-18 19:50:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 65,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14220525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CompassedShip/pseuds/CompassedShip
Summary: Harry loved Louis.Louis did not.He just used the omega for sex.What happens when Harry steps out of the picture?Unrequited love hurts.





	1. Chapter - 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, it is going to be a Five-shot. I will write it if you like the first part.
> 
> You can give me a visit on Tumblr : [ CompassedShip ](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/compassedship69)

Harry watched the alpha sleep beside him.

The early morning sun glowed over the golden expanse of the alpha’s skin that was on display. He had scratch marks on his biceps, where Harry had grasped him while the alpha pounded into him. Harry blushed when his eyes fell on the alpha’s chest; soft bite marks littered the skin. Harry recalled biting down on the alpha’s skin when the knot was formed into him. 

His straight hair was now messy. Harry knew how his fingers gripped them when the alpha sucked on his nipples. Harry whined when he thought about last night. His omega whined with want when the alpha’s muscular arm came up to hold him in place. Harry looked down at the contrast of their skins. Tanned arm held his pale waist possessively. Harry tried to even out his breathing. He knew, when the alpha would wake up, he would push Harry away.

Harry watched, hypnotized, the alpha’s eyelashes fluttered. A soft frown settled on those thick brows as the alpha tried to blink the sleep away from his eyes. Those sizzling blue eyes came into view. They were soft now, almost unfocused. The alpha blinked in a quick succession for a moment and then those eyes found Harry.

Harry said nothing, he watched the alpha coming back to consciousness. He was taking up everything he could before the alpha left.

“You creep me out when you stare at me like that,” was the alpha’s first sentence.

Harry blinked.

“Good morning, Louis,” Harry whispered, trying not to disturb the early morning eerie silence that surrounded them.

Louis sat up on the bed, the duvet pulling around his waist. Harry blushed when his eyes fell on the alpha’s back; it was marred with nail marks. Harry’s omega preened, as he knew, he left it there. Something Louis could not wash away. At least not for some time.

Louis was groaning in his hands. Harry sat up beside him, feeling self-conscious when his pudgy stomach was revealed. He had nothing to allure the alpha. Well, except his arsehole.

“Are you fine? Do you want some tea?” Harry asked, his voice rushed. He wanted the alpha to stay a bit longer.

_Please stay a bit longer._

Louis shook his head, already sliding off the bed, “I need to get out of here as fast as I can.”

Harry’s eyes fell on the alpha’s bum; it wiggled when he pulled up the boxer from last night.

“I can make you breakfast if you want?” Harry offered again, just like all those mornings they shared in past two years. He knew the answer too.

Like déjà vu, Louis shook his head in denial, “I have a shift in the bike shop.”

Harry knew the answer. He always knew what Louis was going to say but he would ask every morning.

Harry nodded, forcing a smile on his face. Just like every other time.

Harry watched the alpha getting dressed. Louis would not even look at him. His face morphed into a frown. Harry felt rejected. Just like every other time.

When the alpha was ready, Harry slid off the bed, pulling the duvet around himself. He tried not to think too much about the fact that Louis’ eyes fell on his bare shoulders for a second and then the alpha was looking away. Harry knew it meant nothing. He looked like a lanky toddler as the white duvet pulled around himself, his hands hidden in them and his shoulders bare as it slid off them.

They reached the main door of Harry’s flat in silence.

Louis hesitated at the doorstep, his hand gripping the door handle too tightly for normal. Harry eyed it and then looked up at the alpha.

“Harry, um… don’t,” the alpha stopped when Harry nodded.

“I will never talk about this in front of Arthur. I know, Louis.” He hoped his smile looked genuine.

Louis huffed out a breath and nodded, “Yeah. Okay. Bye.”

Then the door was closed on his face. Harry stood there, still. His eyes on the door and he tried not to let those tears fall.

“So he left just like every time,” Harry flinched when Niall quipped, his flat-mate and best friend, “why do you let him do this, Haz?”

Harry turned to face the omega in question. Niall Horan. His childhood best friend. They came to the states together to study in University.

Niall was doing major in Ethics, politics and economics. Harry studied Film and media studies. They both were studious enough to get a scholarship and financial assistance that covered their coaching fees.

They earned enough money from their part-time jobs to rent a small two bedrooms flat near the university.

Harry met Louis when he was in his first year. They were invited to a student party held by Liam Payne, one of the Electrical engineering students in the same university. Who invited them mainly because of his crush on Niall. According to Niall, Liam was not his boyfriend. They were just screwing around. Harry knew better. They were exclusive but both of them too shy to confront each other.

Then there was Harry and his unresolved feelings for Louis.

Louis was in love with Arthur. His high-school crush. Who was in love with one of their mates, George. Their relation was not steady. Arthur was always coming to Louis whenever George would misbehave with him or just leave him alone for some days. Louis was putty in that omega’s hand. Harry knew how much Arthur affected him. He knew Louis was crazy about the said Omega.

When Harry had met Louis, it was in that same party Liam invited them in. Harry was drunk before the clock hit midnight and there Louis was, grinding up to him. His thin lips kissing up Harry’s neck, filthy words were whispered in his ear. Harry had turned to shoo the offender away. He was not interested but then he had turned and faced the blue-eyed devil. Louis had smirked at him and then there was a kiss.

Harry was gone.

The next morning was scandalous. Louis had fretted visibly, cursing and pacing around the room. Harry was just looking for the alpha. The one he had lost his virginity to and the one who told him off just the next morning.

“We can do this but there will be no string attached, Harry. Just sex. I have loved someone since I was a kid. This is just…” Harry had watched the pain in those blue eyes as Louis had shrugged, “this is just me trying to unwind. Yeah? Are you up for it?”

Oh, was Harry up for it? No.

Did he want the alpha in his life anyway? Yes.

So the answer was a nod and Louis had smiled. Harry was fucked on his hand and knees after that.

The ritual was same since then. Louis would go out with Arthur, George and his mates then watch them together and get high. Harry would be bouncing on his knot after that.

What hurt Harry the most was, sometimes, Louis would orgasm while taking Arthur’s name. It hurt. So Harry tried to forget, he would not listen to whatever Louis was saying.

That was exactly what happened in past two years.

Everyone in their group was unaware of it. Well, not everyone. Liam knew because of Niall. Zayn found out on his own. He was intelligent. Perrie knew because they were caught red-handed in her bedroom, Harry whining while Louis had growled at the omega for intruding. So, they knew and they knew about Harry’s feelings too. Harry hated it when they would give him those pitying looks.

Just like now.

\----

He turned to face Niall with a small smile, “Good morning, Ni.”

The blonde tilted his head leftwards, exhaling helplessly, “why?”

Harry shrugged, “I can’t resist him.”

Niall was there in a heartbeat, hugging Harry close, “One of these days, I will kill him for hurting you.”

Harry chuckled, “he did not. I was the one who could not resist him. He never lied to me, Ni. He was clear about his deal since day one. I was the idiot who could not help but develop feelings for him.”

Niall pulled Harry towards the kitchen, “let’s not talk about that asshole. I will always say, you deserve better, Haz.”

Harry said nothing, he sat on the kitchen stool, letting go of the duvet as it fell on the ground.

Niall rolled his eyes, “cover yourself, weirdo!”

He shrugged with a smile, “you have seen me like this for so many years, Ni.”

Niall said nothing, just planted a kiss on the top of Harry's head and went around the counter to make breakfast.

They did not talk about the alpha again.

\---***--- ---***---

“You stink,” Zayn made a face when Louis sat down on the sofa of their shared flat.

Three alphas in a three-bedroom flat, it was too much. Sometimes it would be too intense for them to handle. The pheromones would go crazily strong as they neared rut. When one would bring an omega around, the others would feel tensed. But they could not and would not live any other way. They were friends since they were in kindergarten.

Louis shrugged, taking the mug of coffee that was extended towards him with a pleased purr, “I smell like sex.”

Zayn observed him for a moment; Louis knew that without turning to face him. He let his friend do whatever he wanted. Louis was tired. Sex with Harry was fierce. The omega was insatiable. Louis loved how Harry would take his mind off the pain that was there in his heart every day for twenty-four hours. He loved how Harry would not complain when Louis would come on his face while taking Arthur’s name. Louis pretended that he was fucking Arthur while his cock would pound into Harry. Harry never said anything. Some days Louis would watch George kissing Arthur or mercilessly grinding into him on the dance floor or Arthur would come back for their first class together, smelling like George. 

Those days were dreadful for Louis. Harry would be spanked or gagged those days, Louis would spank the omega until Harry would cry or Louis’ alpha would be satisfied. Louis liked gagging Harry, that way, it was assured that the omega would not speak and break Louis’ trance where he could think about Arthur.

Louis loved how accessible Harry was.

“I don’t know why Harry put up with you. He deserves someone better, you know?” Zayn said. His voice dripped with disbelief and a bit sadness for the omega. Louis shrugged, “he likes getting fucked by me, I guess? If he finds out someone for himself, I will surely let him be. It is not like I force him,” he looked at Zayn and smirked, “I don’t care whose arsehole my cock goes into. It is not necessary that it has to be Harry. An omega and I am fine with it.”

Zayn did not say anything, much to Louis’ surprise. After a moment, he shrugged, “I hope the day comes fast when Harry finds out someone for himself and you two stop fucking. It is bothersome to see…” he stopped midway, coughing in his fist.

Louis raised his brows, “it is bothersome? Why? Do you like him? Shall I talk to Perrie?”

Zayn shrugged, “I like him as a brother. He is like the younger brother I never had. Yeah. It bothers me to see him around you. You are an asshole.”

Louis shrugged, “I did not force him, Zayn. He had agreed to this.”

“Why do you think that forcing someone happens only physically?” two of them turned towards the narrow hallway to see Liam emerging from his bedroom. Being an alpha gave him a keen hearing ability. The alphas could hear someone’s voice from quite some distance. It was their speciality.

Liam came to sit on the beanbag, his eyes unfocused from the late night sleep, he rubbed them and yawned.

“What do you mean?” Louis asked.

“I mean,” Liam paused to stretch and then looked at Louis, “you did not force him physically. No. I know you would not do that but what about psychologically? You know how an alpha affects an omega, right? Yet you go up to him when he least expects it. Do you even know how seductively you peruse him? You force him emotionally.”

Louis looked at Liam and then at Zayn who was looking at Liam with a small appreciative smile.

“I love it when you go all lawyer-y on him,” Zayn said. Liam beamed at him and they both turned towards Louis.

With an arched brow, Louis shrugged, “I can’t help that I am an alpha now, can I? Neither he can help it. See, we two are fine. If you don’t understand something, does not mean it is wrong. Now, if you will excuse me,” he took a big gulp of his coffee and placed the mug on the floor as they did not have a coffee-table, “I will take a bath and go to my shift.”

Both of his friends said nothing as Louis left the living room.

“I hope he comes to his senses soon,” Zayn said when Louis’ door was closed.

Liam sighed, “I hope Harry stays for that.”

\---

Louis washed his hair with the shampoo Arthur chose for him. Something with the smell of coconut. A smile graced his lips as he thought about the omega and how he would help Louis with groceries. Louis could imagine a future with the omega, where they would go grocery shopping together every week, Louis pushing the trolley around and Arthur sitting into it, giggling as Louis kiss his neck time to time. Louis let his hair wash under the spray of the water, closing his eyes to avoid the sting.

_“You would smell so good if you use something minty.”_

Louis frowned when he remembered what Harry had said one night. The Omega had combed his pale fingers through Louis’ hair and smiled, murmuring those words. Louis had shrugged, “Arthur loves this smell.”

Harry did not say anything after that. His fingers were gone.

Louis shook his head, focusing on leathering his body with the lemon scented shower gel. His hands roamed over his body, wincing when the gel touched bite marks Harry had left. He looked down to see the marks on his chest, they looked reddish and Louis could figure out the teeth marks. He sighed, he would have to gag Harry the next time. Louis did not like having marks on him. His body should be unmarked, only Arthur had the right to mark him.

His brows furrowed when the faint smell of lavender and lilac reached his nostrils.

Harry.

It was his smell.

Louis rubbed his body harder. He did not like the smell. It was so feminine for his preference. His preferred smell was something spicy. Like burnt wood. Like Arthur. He smelt like the burnt woods and something heady. Louis loved it.

He sighed when he was finally done. Finally, he smelt like himself, as Arthur preferred. Louis was not proud of his rendezvous with Harry. He was quite ashamed of it but what could he do? He was an alpha, his needs were consuming. He had to invest it somewhere. Hence, Harry came along. He was willing and so very responsive. He was like a dumping place for Louis’ semen. He liked having access to the omega. Harry had never denied Louis. Never.

Louis came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. His phone beeped.

He reached for it where it rested on the bed.

A message from Arthur.

“Are you free? I need to talk to you.”

Louis smiled eagerly, typing as fast as he could, “of course. Tell me where to meet?”

The reply was quick, “Say, Cup O’ Samuel?”

Cup O’ Samuel was a café on the campus. Louis loved the coffee they served. Their pastries and baked goods were so delicious that Louis would have them at least once a day.

Harry worked there.

Louis ignored the thought, who cared?

“Sure. Whenever you are free.”

“Right now. Please,” the message was quick.

Did something happen?

Maybe finally they broke up? Louis tried not to get his hopes up.

“I will be there in ten minutes,” Louis replied, running towards his wardrobe to dress up perfectly.

\---***--- ---***---

“Have a nice day, ma’am,” Harry smiled at the woman who nodded with a grateful smile. She shushed her daughter when she squealed as Harry gave her a free doughnut. He smiled as he watched them leave.

Someone held the door for the woman. Harry’s eyes widen when he saw it was Arthur. He watched the omega stepping in and going straight for the window seat just at the corner. Harry could not help but stare.

Arthur was beautiful. Dyed silver blonde hair swiped backwards as a lean quiff, some of the long hair-strands fell on that wide expanse of milky white forehead. Grey eyes twinkled whenever he would laugh and he laughed a lot. He was a happy and bubbly kind of person. Vibrant and joyful. Expressive. When he stepped into a room, everyone would turn and take a look at him. Arthur said that he loved it. The attention. He was so smooth with his steps and his walk was confident.

Harry was opposite. He was clumsy with his walk and with his words. He hated attention. He would linger in the hallways if the classroom or any gathering room was filled with people and step inside behind someone. Just to avoid curious eyes. He hated confrontation. His words were almost always jumbled. He could not for the love of God maintain eye contact while talking to someone. He had to give himself a pep-talk before going over to the shopkeeper and ask him anything. He liked parties, yes, he did but only because he could get lost in those faceless bodies. Where no one would notice him. His eyes were a boring shade of green. So casual. His lips were bow-shaped, feminine. He did not like his pale skin, no matter how hard he tried; he could not grow beard or moustache.

Arthur was everything Harry was not.

So Harry watched the omega, feeling self-conscious all over again.

“Why are you eyeing an omega?” Jade, one of his friends from the café asked him. Harry blushed, shrugging. She chuckled and left after ruffling Harry’s curls, another thing he hated about himself. Curls. They made him look so childish.

The bell over the door of the café chimed again. Harry turned to see who it was and stopped on his track once the person stepped in.

Louis.

His face was sporting the beard Harry remembered scratching up his thighs last night. Harry blushed when he saw the high-neck shirt the alpha wore. He knew it was because of his teeth-marks. Louis’ hair was tousled. His clothes roughly pulled on by the look of it.

The alpha looked around the café and smiled when finally his eyes found Arthur. Harry watched the alpha’s smile. He never smiled at Harry. Harry knew the alpha’s smirk, he knew the alpha’s furrowed brows but he did not know the alpha’s smile. He was so beautiful.

“Hi, Louis,” Harry said as Louis passed the counter.

“Yeah, hi,” Louis said breezily as he passed, not even looking at Harry. His eyes on the grey-eyed omega.

Harry gulped, his smile dropping.

It was not like he did not know how Louis did not want him in any way but the confirmation still hurt.

The alpha went towards the table where Arthur sat with a skip in his steps. Harry watched how Louis pulled the omega in for a deliberate hug. How that button nose was pressed against the omega’s neck. Harry could see how Louis smiled at the boy in front of him, warm and beautiful.

Harry looked down, busying himself with the works.

\---***--- ---***---

“I can’t believe he told me to fuck off, Louis! He fought with me for so long last night. I don’t know what to do anymore,” Arthur looked broken. Louis wanted to kill George. How was that alpha so dense? Could not he see that he had the best omega on this planet and he was not smart enough to cherish him?

Louis wished it were he who got Arthur. Well, he was working on it. One day. One day Arthur will be his.

He took Arthur’s hands in his, rubbing them softly, “why don’t you take a break from him? Yeah? Give him some time alone and see what happens?”

The omega looked at him, those beautiful eyes pooling with tears, “he loves me, right? Louis? I am doing it right by sticking with him, right?”

Louis wanted to say no. He really wanted to say no.

“Zayn is taking us out tonight. It is his and Perrie’s second year anniversary. Why don’t you come with us? You will feel better.” Louis looked at the omega hopefully.

Arthur looked thoughtful, biting those plump lips, “are you sure? I don’t think your friends like me that much.”

Louis shook his head, “nonsense. There is nothing unlikable in you, Arthur. We all love you. Come on,” he kissed the boy’s knuckles, “join us.”

There was a commotion at the counter, Louis’ eyes shifted there to find Harry kneeling down on the floor, picking up some broken glass or something. His co-worker, a girl with brown hair helping him. He was shaking his head to deny her help but she did it nonetheless.

A fleeting image of Harry on his knees in front of Louis came to Louis’ mind. How the omega looked at him, all blown eyed and wild curls, cheeks so red when Louis fucked his mouth.

Louis shook his head, turning his eyes on the omega in front of him. Arthur was saying something. Louis hated himself for not listening to him.

“Sorry, what?”

Arthur smiled, “I said, okay. I will go with you.”

They stayed there for half an hour after that. Louis drinking his coffee and one chocolate muffin and Arthur took a mocha. Louis could not help but close his eyes as he chewed the muffin. It was delicious. He loved how this café had the best things to serve.

A boy beside their table moaned, laughing when his tablemate laughed. “What? Can you blame me? Harry makes the most delicious muffins.”

The girl with him nodded, “did you try his Croissant? Goodness, it is just mouthwatering.”

They went back to their discussion. Louis turned away from them when Arthur started speaking about the midterm course he wanted to do.

They stood up to leave after fifteen minutes. Louis went to pay the bill, Arthur just beside him. The omega was holding his forearm. Louis could feel the tingling feeling in his chest as Arthur rubbed his arm.

Louis groaned inwardly when he saw Harry at the cash register. He hoped the Omega did not talk to him.

Wide green eyes peered up at them. Louis watched Harry’s eyes fell on Arthur’s hand on Louis’ elbow then the omega was looking at Louis.

Louis paid the bill, Harry said nothing.

“Harry? How are you?” Arthur asked, smiling at Harry.

Louis watched a smile gracing Harry’s lips, “I am fine, Arthur.”

He did not say anything else and Louis pulled Arthur out of the café. He did not want Harry to talk and slip something out in front of Arthur.

\---***--- ---***---

Harry stared at the blue-eyed girl in front of him. Perrie stared right back. Zayn was leaning against the counter with his lips quirked up. That bastard was laughing at Harry quietly.

“But Perrie, I have an assignment due,” Harry tried again. He did not want to go because he knew Louis would go there with Arthur. He would like to spare himself that pain.

Perrie crossed her arms in front of her chest, glaring at him now, “listen here, Harry. Either you come with us willingly or I drag you out of your flat by your collars. You choose.”

Harry gaped. He knew that Perrie would do that if needed. He knew how persistent the girl was. He looked at Zayn, almost pleadingly, “can’t you say something? Why are you standing there and laughing at me?”

Zayn held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, “you are making it difficult for yourself, Haz. Just come out with us. Come on.”

Harry knew they would not leave if he denied. Perrie took his hands in hers, a small pout on her coloured lips, “please, Haz. It was you who helped me to confess. You are such a big part of our relationship. Please come with us. It just one night, you are so intelligent, you will be fine. It will mean so much to me.”

Harry could not deny after that. Hell, he knew it was a losing battle from the start. He loved Perrie too much to deny her anything. She was like his closest friend from this university.

He huffed out his defeat, nodding dejectedly, “fine. I will go.”

Perrie squealed, grinning at him, “great. Niall is coming too. We will meet you at the Rose and Crown around nine then?”

Harry knew it would go on for the whole night and he nodded, “fine.”

He would finish the pending essay after he left the shift here because one of his classes was cancelled and then he would be ready to take a nap and get ready for the evening.

Perrie kissed his cheek and left with Zayn. The alpha waving as they closed the glassed-door of the café.

It was going to be a long night.

\---***--- ---***---

Louis sat down beside Liam at the sports ground of their university. Arthur left to attend his class and Louis was done with his shift at the bike shop.

He laid down on the soft grass and looked up at the clear sky. His face breaking into a smile. Arthur was going to the pub with him. Louis would pick him up from his flat and they would meet their friends at the Rose and Crown together. It felt like an almost date.

“So shall I pick you two up?” Liam was talking over the phone and by the blush on his cheeks, it was Niall. Louis rolled his eyes with a fond smile. His friend was in deep. Louis had never seen him so invested in someone.

While he watched Liam talking, Zayn came to sit with them, his lips pressed on a cigarette. Louis took it out of Zayn’s lips and sucked on the bud.

“Niall?” Zayn asked with a smirk. Louis nodded. They both shook their heads with a laugh at their friend’s lovesick face.

“Okay. I will be there at eight-fifty. See you soon,” Liam cut the call, looking down at the mobile in his hands with a happy smile.

Louis laughed, Zayn joining in, “dude, you look like a lovesick puppy when you make that face.”

Zayn nodded, “like that crazy in love kind of thing.”

Liam blushed, coughing, “shut up, you two. It is not like you guys don’t behave embarrassingly when your omegas call. We all know how mushy Louis gets when Arthur calls and we know how Zayn smiles to whatever Perrie says. So stop judging me.”

Louis could not help but feel giddy when Liam called Arthur his omega. He grinned at his friend and shrugged, “I guess, we all are crazy in love.”

Liam nodded.

“By the way, Zayn, Niall was talking about the alpha in your class, what was his name? Dylan Clarke?”

Zayn nodded, “yeah. One of my friends from the Mathematics department. What happened to him?”

Liam shrugged, “nothing happened to him. Niall wants you to bring him along.”

Louis smirked, “you should be scared, Li. Niall is interested in another alpha.”

Liam smacked his shoulder, “shut up. He wants to hook Dylan up with Harry.”

Louis stared at Liam and then laughed, “Harry? Really? That boy is too shy for hookups.”

Zayn quirked a brow at him, “and you are saying it?”

Louis rolled his eyes, “I don’t think it is going to work out. Just saying.”

Liam jerked his shoulders, “I guess, they can figure it out on their own.”

Louis did not say anything again. He was not in a mood. He was happy. He was going out with Arthur and George was not going be there between them.

Harry was not a topic Louis wanted to dwell on today.

\---***--- ---***---

“Louis is never going to return your feelings, Harry. Even you know that. Don’t you?” Niall asked. His face morphed in a sad twist. Harry hated that expression. Niall was supposed to be happy, always.

Harry wrung his fingers together. He did not want to meet that Dylan guy. No, there was nothing wrong with Dylan but Harry was not sure he wanted this.

Then again, he was at his patience’s end. He did not want to be left behind like that. He was done being a replacement. If Louis was not going to acknowledge him then Harry did not want to pine for him and look like a clingy teenager. He hated how desperate he looked for Louis. He did not want to go to the pub and stare at the alpha who would surely persuade Arthur tonight. Arthur was pressed against Louis when they left the café. As an omega, Harry knew those signs. Arthur was leaning for Louis. His omega was getting warmed up by Louis’ alpha.

Harry nodded, “fine. Let him come.”

Niall was on him for a hug after that. They both fell to the ground from their dingy sofa, laughing as they rolled on the floor.

\---***--- ---***---

Harry looked at the mirror, his reflection staring back at him. A scoop-neck black transparent shirt with black jeans that hugged his legs too tightly. The neck was really low, the line of his cleavage showing. Harry turned to look at his bum and yes, it was definitely on display, the jeans expressively showing off his perky arse.

“I look flamboyant,” he whined.

There was a groan heard from the adjoined bathroom, “shut up, Haz. You look beautiful. Just come here and let me do your hair.”

Harry flinched, “eww. No. I am not letting you do my hair ever again. Last time, the hair-gel was dropping from my quiff. I am fine with my curls.” Louis was not going to look at him anyway.

“Fine. Just comb it then.” Niall said.

Harry combed his hair with his fingers, easing out the knots. When he was done, he sat down on the bed.

Niall came out wearing a blue and black checked shirt that was buttoned from his chest. It revealed his neck beautifully. His deep blue jeans left nothing to the imagination. Harry whistled.

“You are going to charm Liam’s pants off.”

Niall threw the used towel on Harry’s face, “shut up and let’s go. He is almost here according to his text.”

Harry laughed as they descended the stairs.

\---***--- ---***---

Arthur was sitting beside him. Louis could not look away. Arthur was wearing a white shirt, buttoned till his neck and a khaki coloured pant. He looked beautiful with the way he carried himself.

Louis was wearing a black see-through shirt with a black Jeggings. He had noticed with satisfaction how Arthur’s eyes were on him time to time. Louis had preened under the gaze.

The pub was loud. Louis looked around to see it was already crowded. Zayn had booked a booth for them so they sat comfortably. Zayn and Perrie in front of them, talking to each other.

“Liam and others are here,” Zayn said after a while. He was looking at his mobile. Perrie stood up, craning her neck to look over the crowd. The pub was dark except for those laser lights and disco balls.

She jumped on the platform and waved her hands over her head wildly when she spotted their friends.

Louis took a sip of his beer and chuckled at her enthusiasm.

“She is really energetic,” Arthur said, leaning closer to Louis’ ear so that his voice was heard over the loud music. Louis shivered when those lips touched his ear. He gripped the beer in his hand tightly.

“Yeah, yeah, she is,” he coughed out, looking at the omega who was smiling at him.

The smell of lavender and lilac.

Louis’ eyes shifted.

Harry was standing beside Niall and Liam. His eyes set on Perrie and Zayn as he smiled.

Louis took in the omega’s attire and frowned.

Harry was dressed too flirtatiously for Louis’ liking. He noticed the omega’s neck was completely bare. It was not good for an unmated omega.

“Congratulation on your anniversary, guys,” Niall said, sliding into the booth. Harry slid in behind him, sitting across Louis. Liam sat beside Louis.

“Where is Jade and other girls, I can’t even contact them!” Perrie whined, sitting down.

Harry smiled at her, “Jade called me to tell you that she will be a bit late. She is the chosen driver for the girls and Dylan.”

Perrie frowned, “she could have called me.”

Harry shrugged, “maybe she did. This pub's network is really low.”

“Can we forget about those who are not here and enjoy the time, guys?” Arthur said, thumping his fist down on the table with a grin. Louis laughed with him.

“Sure, let’s order some pints, yeah?” Zayn said.

Liam stood up, “let me go and order. You guys stay here.”

Niall stood up too, “let’s go.”

Everyone made some teasing sound as the couple left.

Arthur turned towards Perrie and Zayn, “so what is the plan after this pub?”

Zayn gestured towards the main-door, “We will explore other bars and pubs. The night is young, Arthur.”

Perrie nodded, “we have the whole night.”

Harry was sitting there idly, watching them talk.

Louis noticed how the omega was smiling softly at Perrie as she spoke to him.

“There they are,” suddenly Perrie said.

Louis turned to see Jade, Jessie and Leigh were coming towards them. Another bloke followed them. Dylan. It was Dylan then.

When they reached their table, everyone shifted around to make space for them. The girls squeezed in together, Harry following. Dylan sat beside Louis, his eyes fixed on Harry.

Louis watched Harry fidget under the alpha’s gaze, looking down at his feet.

“Harry,” Zayn said, “this is Dylan. One of my mates.”

Harry turned to look at the alpha, his eyes wide, “huh-hi.”

Dylan offered him a warm smile, “Hello, Harry.”

Louis rolled his eyes. They were not in kindergarten anymore.

\---***--- ---***---

Harry could not look away. Louis was so handsome. Sitting there confidently, his hands holding the beer bottle tightly. Those blue eyes were fixed on the other omega. Arthur was whispering something in the alpha’s ear and Louis was smiling. All private and cosy.

Something like pain rolled through Harry’s heart. He looked down at his hands. Louis looked so soft around Arthur. So lovely.

Harry had never witnessed this side of Louis when they were together. Louis was rough, hard and unforgiving around Harry.

“I am just a plaything to him.” Harry thought.

It was painful to think how much Harry cared for the alpha.

Niall and Liam were back with two trays. Liam looked around the table and frowned apologetically, “you all have arrived. We did not get your pints.”

Everyone laughed around the table.

Dylan stood up, “I am going to go to the bar and have my drink there.” He turned to face Harry, “Harry? Come, join me.”

Harry looked at the outstretched hand in front of him, his eyes on the alpha. Dylan was muscular, taller than Harry. His black eyes shone with happiness.

He did not want to go but Niall was prodding at his waist discreetly. Harry stood up, taking the alpha’s hand as they left.

Dylan was walking behind him, almost cloaking him from the crowd. Harry liked how protective the alpha was.

He smiled to himself as he stepped on the bar platform.

\---***--- ---***---

Louis watched them go. Watched how Dylan was holding Harry’s elbows from behind to guide him. He scoffed.

“What?” Arthur asked.

Louis shrugged, “Dylan is behaving as if Harry can’t walk. As if he is Harry’s nanny.”

“I think that is cute that he is so protective,” Niall hissed across the table, his eyes narrowed on Louis.

“They would make a lovely couple. Think how good-looking their pups will be!” Leigh said with a happy grin on her face.

“Wow! Seriously? Pups? Are not you thinking too fast?” Jessie asked, laughing at her girlfriend.

Leigh shrugged, “they look cute.”

Louis’ breath hitched when Arthur placed his head on his shoulder, that pointed nose touching Louis’ neck.

“Can we let them be and take the shots?” Jade asked, looking down at the shot glasses.

Zayn whistled, “Yeah. Let’s.”

They all held the shot glasses in their hands, “cheers to our happy couple.”

Everyone downed their shots and shook their heads as the sour taste filled their mouths.

Louis squeezed his eyes, laughing as everyone made some kind of sounds after the shot.

“Let’s hit the dance floor,” Arthur yelled, already pulling Louis away from the table. Louis did not look back to see who was following. He could not look away from his omega. Arthur was vibrant under the lights. Shots by Imagine Dragon was playing.

Arthur pulled Louis closer, dancing along. Louis laughed, holding the omega’s hips closer. They bounced on the dance floor, matching their steps. Louis was happy, oh so happy as Arthur giggled in his arms.

His eyes were all for the omega who was looking at him with a grin.

“You look pretty when you laugh,” Louis yelled over the music. Arthur leaning closer to hear him. The omega laughed and swatted at Louis’ chest.

“You find me pretty always,” he said. Well, Louis could not deny that.

He placed his hands on Arthur’s hips, pulling him closer. Their bodies pressed together as they moved. Arthur’s arms came around Louis’ neck, pulling him closer.

Louis’ eyes fell behind the omega.

Dylan was leading Harry on the dance floor. Harry was apprehensive as much as Louis could say. Well, Louis knew how terrible Harry was on the dance floor. He was like a newborn Bambi. Louis smirked; he knew how disappointed Dylan was going to be. He looked at the omega in his own arms. Arthur moved with ease, side to side, step to step. He was so coordinated. Louis loved it about him.

He watched how Dylan pulled Harry closer, Harry hitting himself against the alpha. Louis had to bite back a laugh.

Dylan laughed too, helping Harry to stand properly. Then the alpha was pulling Harry closer, his arms going around the omega as they moved. He leaned down to say something in Harry’s ears. Harry smiled, looking up at him.

Louis watched how they moved, Harry cautiously stepping along Dylan. Dylan moved with ease, leading Harry.

“What if George never takes me back?”

Louis looked at the omega in his arms and smiled, “then you will find someone who loves you more than George.”

Arthur watched him. His eyes bored into Louis’. Louis did not back down. He let the omega seek whatever he wanted to see. He hoped Arthur found everything he was looking for when the omega hugged him.

\---***--- ---***---

Harry laughed nervously when he stepped on Dylan's feet for the third time. His hands came up to rest on the alpha's shoulders. He felt the muscles under his hands twitched.

Harry liked Dylan. As a friend, he would be lovely to have around but a lover?

His eyes went to his left, finding out the alpha his omega craved in a heartbeat.

Louis was laughing at something Arthur had said. Harry watched how the alpha's eyes became slits as he looked at Arthur. It was so painfully obvious that Louis was in love with him.

Harry felt the pain in his chest. Louis never looked at him like that. He would find a way to woo Arthur and they would be a couple by the end of the year.

"So you like him," Dylan said.

Harry jumped at his voice, turning back to look at him.

His first thought was to deny but then... he knew he could not.

"Am I that easy to read?" Harry breathed out a laugh. He felt sick. If everyone knew about his pathetic one-sided crush on Louis, exactly how far was the time when Louis would come to know about it?

Dylan smiled down at him. Nothing too cynical.

"I completely understand, you know? I was in love with this girl from our high school, she never loved me and I can tell you how hard it was to let her go when the time came."

Harry listened to the alpha with rapt attention, moving slowly as a romantic song came on. He watched Dylan's face going soft, something like a painful smile taking over the alpha's face.

"How did you get over her then?"

Dylan looked down at him and smiled, "I didn't. I still love her. Maybe one day I will find out someone and that will be all to erase my pain. Maybe I will be able to move on. Yeah?"

Harry stared at the alpha in front of him. Watched how uncertain he looked at his own words. Harry knew that feeling. He gave himself that talk a lot of time. He would regret his decision whenever Louis would leave and then it would be his alone time with his omega. He would go over the event that caused that rendezvous and then scold himself for giving in to Louis.

Nothing worked.

When Dylan told him all that, Harry could see his own reflection in the alpha.

He said nothing. With a bounce on his feet, Harry reached out, hugging the alpha around the chest.

He buried his nose in the alpha's chest, "we will be fine, right?"

Dylan rubbed his back, holding him close, "I think, we will. I really fucking think we will."

Harry did not know if he wanted to cry or laugh. They were standing in the middle of the dance floor of a pub and talking about getting over their unrequited feelings.

_"Let me forget him. Please let me forget him."_


	2. Chapter - 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey. I have realised something. I can't make this a five-shot. Really sorry about that. I had a plot in my head when I started writing this but now I am thinking about a lot better plot which will take more chapters than only five.   
> It is going to be a heavy angsty fiction. If it is not your cup of tea, please don't read. The ending will be positive, trust me but the whole fiction will be angsty. Hope you can go through that.

Harry could feel his toes curling when Louis’ cock found his prostate. He whimpered, hiding his face into the pillows. His eyes were watering anyway. 

Louis gripped his hair, pulling at it. The pain shot through his scalp, burning the roots. Harry cried out when Louis’ cock pulsed in him, slamming against his prostate with every thrust. 

“Don’t you dare hide your face,” Louis growled, leaning over to envelop Harry’s body with his. 

Harry’s wrists were bound with the belt Louis wore today morning when he came to find Harry and his mouth gagged with his own panties. 

Louis’ left hand was sliding up and down on Harry’s back. Louis’ mouth closed on Harry’s neck, biting and sucking. 

Harry pushed back against Louis’ hipbones when the alpha almost stopped. 

“I will fuck you till you are sore. I will take you ‘til you pass out. Don’t you dare hide from me. Do you get it? You are mine,” Louis said, his breath unsteady against Harry’s nape. 

Harry closed his eyes, tears pooling in them. He knew these words. They held no meaning. These were Louis’ rut–talking. In rut, Louis would become territorial and tell all these words to Harry and when it was over, he would forget it too. He would just look at Harry and wait for the omega to leave. 

So Harry tried to concentrate on the way the alpha’s cock was splitting him open, the way Louis was pounding into him. 

Suddenly Louis pulled out, causing an empty feeling in Harry. 

Harry furrowed his brows when he felt the alpha sitting on his knees behind him. 

“I want to see your face,” Louis said, shoving Harry on his back. 

Harry gasped when Louis pushed in, hovering over him. Those blue eyes were inches away from his face. Harry placed his bound hands around Louis’ neck, pulling the alpha in for a kiss. Louis kissed him happily, biting his lips in the process. 

The thrusts were erratic now. Harry knew the alpha was close. He could feel his own arousal in the pit of his stomach. 

“I will breed you,” Louis was hissing in his ear, his face hidden into the crook of Harry’s neck, “I will plant my seeds in you. You will give me my pups. You will be pregnant after this.”

Chill ran through Harry’s veins. His eyes widened. 

“Mph,” he tried to say something when he saw the glint in those blue eyes when Louis met his eyes. 

“You are mine,” Louis growled, the wolf flashing in those blue eyes. Harry tried to pull the alpha closer, just a bit. His scent would calm Louis. He knew that. He would have to push the alpha’s nose into the crook of his neck for that though. But the alpha was not reciprocating. He was shaking off Harry’s hands and just staring at him. Those lips were parted as he panted against Harry’s mouth.

Harry felt the knot expanding in him, his muscles giving spasm as they tried to accommodate the girth. 

Louis’ cum shot into him and in that exact moment, the alpha’s head dropped. Harry sighed when he felt Louis’ nose against his neck and closed his eyes. 

“You are mine,” Louis whispered. 

Harry tried not to cry. Louis was not thinking. 

Then he felt it. 

A searing pain at the left side of the junction of his neck and shoulder shot through him. 

His body arched off the bed. Harry’s breathing stopped as the pain intensified. Something was tearing his skin apart. 

Two teeth were sunk in him. Louis was sucking the spot. 

Louis growled when Harry tried to shove him away. The alpha was too strong for Harry’s strength. 

So he laid there, fighting off tears as Louis worked on his neck. 

In some minutes, he was mated. 

Louis sucked, taking his blood and then Harry felt the alpha pulling away. 

Harry knew what would happen next and he could do nothing to stop it. 

Fire sizzled through his body, burning his veins and skin. It felt like he was setting himself on fire. His eyes widen, pain rippling through his muscles. His omega was thrashing in him. 

The alpha did not seal the bond by leaking it close.

Harry knew what he should do. He knew what could stop this pain. 

It was the alpha’s pheromones that came in him through the bite that was causing the pain. It was the poison in that bite that was tearing his muscles. He knew what to do now. 

He would have to bite the alpha back. That would take away the poison that was stored in him. It would close the bond between them and it would even out the level of poison in their bodies. 

That was the reason they called it mating cycle. It worked like that. 

All Harry had to do was just reach out and bite down on the alpha’s neck. Claim the alpha as his just like the alpha had claimed him. 

Instead, he cried out through the gag in his mouth. Louis was breathing against his neck now, his knot tightly secured in Harry. 

Harry could not bond Louis. Louis was not his. The alpha was in rut’s haze but Harry could not bond him. He was in his rational mind. 

So he laid there, thrashing as the poison sizzled through him. It would lose its strength after some moments but those moments were agonizing. 

Harry was unconscious when the next wave of the poison rolled through his body. 

 

\---***--- ---***---

 

He woke up to Louis’ pale face. The alpha was sitting beside him now. Those blue eyes horrified as they took in the scar against Harry’s pale skin. He looked terrified, confused and hesitant. 

So the rut was over then. Obviously, it was. The bond ceased the rut or heat. It happened. 

Harry winced when he tried to sit up. Well, his arse throbbed. So did the muscles of his thighs. His neck pulsed with a dull ache. 

“I-We mated!” Louis whispered, like saying it loudly would cause some kind of trouble. 

Harry softly touched the skin there and yes, his fingers came back with blood. It would take time to close as it was a half-bond. 

“Shit! This was not supposed to happen! I- why did not you stop me?” Louis asked. His tone accusing. 

Harry blinked. 

Louis’ scared expression turned sour in front of him. The alpha sneered, “did you plan this? Did you plan this mating?”

Harry looked around. It was a known fact that after mating, an omega needed some time to recover. He just woke up. He could still feel the pain in his joints. 

“I- what?”Harry asked. His eyes scanned the alpha in front of him. 

Louis looked distressed. His hair was sticking out in every direction and his eyes wild with worry. He chewed his lips as he stared at Harry’s scar.

“Okay. Okay. I have got this. We can get it removed, right?” Louis asked, his hands flaring around. 

Something like a dagger sliced through Harry’s heart. His eyes fell on his own hands. He would not cry. No. That would be so pathetic. 

Louis jumped off the bed and pulled out his laptop from his wardrobe. The alpha was fast.

“They surely have some solution for these mistakes. I am sure,” he was murmuring. In his haste to get over the bond, Louis failed to notice the tears in Harry’s eyes or the tremble in those limbs. 

Harry was weak. So so weak. 

He felt cold, his neck hurt so much. He looked around to see the heater was on but he was still shivering. He knew why. He was supposed to seek the heat from his mate but what he got? An opened search bar with the results of how to break a mating.

He pulled the duvet around himself. Even that caused pain in his muscles. 

Harry closed his eyes, hiding his face in his palms. Why did this happen? It was not supposed to happen. 

“Here is a doctor’s number,” Louis said, already dialling the number. Maybe he forgot that Harry was present there. Just beside him. 

Harry sighed in his hands. 

Dylan was right. He should have denied Louis when the alpha asked him to spend his rut together. 

It was two months since he knew Dylan and that alpha was now one of Harry’s best friends. They both were actually closer than anyone in their group. Well, they understood each other. Harry would say. 

Dylan was right when he said that Harry should now stop letting Louis take whatever he wanted. He would leave Harry if something came up. 

Here Harry was, just watching it happen. 

Louis threw the phone at the wall when he got no answer. Harry jumped when the alpha screamed in his hands. 

Louis looked distressed. 

“I-I should leave,” Harry said. He should. He could not stay here any longer. He could not just let Louis hurt him like that. He was vulnerable enough as it was. 

A hand clasped his wrist. 

Harry looked down at where Louis held him and then looked up at the alpha. Louis was facing the wall. His jaw set. The grip was tight. Harry winced. 

“You planned this, did not you? You knew I am rich. You knew, if you mate me, I would be obliged to pay for you. Was it your plan all along? Was this the reason you always let me use you because it was you who was using me all this time?” those blue eyes turned to face Harry.

Harry’s inside crumbled, something like bile rising in his throat. Louis was staring at him so coldly. Harry felt like running away but his body was pliant. His eyes were drooping. He would like some sleep but not here. He wanted to leave. He wanted to find Niall so that he could just hide in that omega’s arms. He hated the look Louis was giving him. He looked so dubious and disgusted. The room felt cold. Warmth. Harry needed some warmth. 

He shook his head. His voice was so numb to even make a whole sentence. 

Louis snarled. His eyes taking in Harry’s naked form. Harry felt cheap. So cheap sitting like that. 

“You just did this for money. Did not you? Why did you do this? You could have asked. I would have given you the money you needed. This is just too out of necessity, Harry.”

Harry turned his back towards the alpha, trying to slide down from the bed. He would leave. He would just leave. 

As he stumbled down from the bed, his head swirled. His eyes rolling back. He had to grip the bedpost to steady himself.

Louis let out a frustrated laugh, “wow! Nice acting, Harry.”

Harry inhaled deeply. He slowly opened his eyes, searching the floor. Where did he leave his clothes? 

Then he remembered. Louis had torn them apart as soon as Harry was here. Harry had not eaten properly in four days. His head felt heavy like it was pulling him backwards. Harry took a step towards the hall, yes. His pants were there and the torn pieces of his clothes. 

His eyes were playing a trick on him. It felt like the floor was dancing or at least it was sliding away. Harry wobbled on his feet, holding the wall. 

He closed the bedroom door when he left the room. He could not take the shame of knowing that Louis was watching him like this. Louis was watching him make a fool of himself like this. 

Tears came easily as Harry found his pants. One foot and then the other one. 

Okay, Harry. You got this.

 

\---***--- ---***---

 

Louis watched the omega go. His alpha screaming at him to help the omega out. Their omega. 

No.

Arthur was their omega. Not Harry. He would never let Harry succeed like that. That was all Harry’s plan. Louis would never let him succeed like that.

The omega was acting anyway. He would just go in the living room and maybe cry or something to attract Louis’ attention. 

Louis sat on the bed, waiting for Harry to start crying or calling for him. Harry did not even defend himself. Well, why would he? He did plan all this after all. Anger was building in Louis when he felt that his alpha was getting restless as time passed. What was Harry doing?

There was a sound of a door closing. Louis frowned. What was that?

He hopped off the bed and walked towards the bedroom door. When he opened the door, there was no one in the living room. 

Louis sniffed the air. 

Nothing. 

He ran towards the balcony, almost leaning half of his body out of it. 

There. 

Harry was limping away. His arms securely wrapped around himself, head bowed. He did not have his shoes on. He was barefoot and his shirt was torn. 

Louis watched him go. His inside churning for no apparent reason. 

Harry was barefoot. In this cold.

 

\---***--- ---***---

 

“He did not plan it,” was Liam’s words. 

Arthur jumped beside Louis, “really, Liam? Did he not plan that? Of course, he planned all of it. He did it knowingly.”

Louis nodded. Arthur was right. 

“If he planned this then where is the bonding mark on Louis’ neck?” Zayn asked, his voice calm but Louis could see the turmoil in his eyes, “was not it easy to bond Louis rather than waiting for Louis to do it?”

Louis frowned at his friend, “so you are saying it is just an accident? Why did not he push me away?”

Liam let out a disbelieving laugh, “are you even listening to yourself, Louis? How was he supposed to push you away? You were in rut. You were probably so strong for him to move you. God, I can’t believe that you just kicked him out like that. Did not you learn something in your sex education class? An omega gets vulnerable after mating. He deserved the protection only you can provide.”

Arthur laughed, “so what was Louis supposed to do? Just kiss him silly? Or even better, spoon him?”

Louis could not speak. He could not forget how hunched Harry looked while walking down the pavement. He was barefoot. He was in a torn piece of shirt. Was he able to reach his flat without anyone commenting on his attire?

His alpha was disappointed in him, Louis could tell. 

“He could have at least help him with a nice meal. He did not eat in four days, Louis.” Liam said in desperation. The alpha looked ready to cry. 

Louis’ inside twisted. Right. Harry was hungry. He was seriously weak that morning. He was actually feeling faint. 

He was not acting. 

 

\---***--- ---***---

 

“Just one spoon, Harry. You have to eat,” Niall whispered, trying to part Harry’s lips to push the spoonful of soup in his mouth.

Harry’s eyes were boring on the bed-sheet as he sat. His knees were pulled closer to him, his eyes moist from all the crying. He was so tired. 

“Just let me take a nap, yeah? I will eat after that. Please, Niall,” Harry mumbled, rubbing his eyes. 

Niall hesitated, looking down at the bowl and then at Harry. Then he sighed, placing the tray on the bedside table. He took Harry’s hands in his and gave it a light squeeze, “fine, Harry. Take rest. We will do something about it when you wake up. Everything will be fine, Hazza.”

Harry stared at Niall, watching the omega smile at him. 

Everything will be all right.

Niall sounded so positive, so optimistic. Harry hoped that Niall was right. 

He could not live like this. He could not live in an unwanted bond for the rest of his life. 

He nodded at Niall, trying to force a smile on his lips. Niall saw right through it, he gently pushed Harry down in the bed and covered him with the quilt when Harry closed his eyes. 

“Take a nap if you don’t want to eat. I will put this in the fridge.” Niall said.

Niall was right. 

Everything will be all right.

 

\---***--- ---***---

 

Harry woke up because of some noise that was coming from the hall. His eyes squinted at that direction but nothing was clear to him. He looked at the table clock to see it was almost eight o’clock. 

He had slept throughout the day. His room was dark now, just the light of the street lamps illuminating it. 

He pushed the duvet away and swung his feet on the ground. He had to see what was happening. 

When he reached the door, he could head Niall’s voice. There were a lot of voices, arguing, shouting. What was happening?

He pulled the door open. And…

Oh.

Oh!

 

\---***--- ---***---

 

Louis could not understand what was Niall’s problem? That omega would not let Arthur come in and he was really pissed off at Louis too. Well, was not it Harry who planned the mating? No matter what Liam and Zayn said, it was Harry’s fault. 

Liam placed his hands on Niall’s shoulders and jerked him lightly, trying to make the omega focus on him, “listen, Niall. Louis and Harry need to talk. I know you are angry with him and I know what you are feeling at the moment but even you know that this is their decision. They have to decide what they want. We have got Barbara with us. She is, as you know, the best doctor in this campus. She will just check Harry. Then Harry and Louis will decide what they want. Please let us come in.”

Niall glared at Louis and then shook his head, “Arthur is not welcomed here. He has no work here. He is not coming in.”

Louis gripped Arthur’s hand in his, ready to fight the omega.

“Let them in, Niller.”

Niall whipped around to face the source of the voice. So did everyone who stood there. 

Louis’ eyes fell on Harry’s face. The omega was wearing a big hoodie that hid his figure and a track pant. His eyes were red but sleepy. He was sleeping. He still looked tired. 

He looked cuddly just standing there, curls peeking out of the hoodie. Those green eyes took in everyone and then slid over to Niall. Harry put out a smile, a really small smile as he gestured for them to come in. 

Louis stepped forward but was held back. When he turned, he met Zayn’s eyes. 

“Don’t act like a typical alpha. Be nice,” he said. 

Louis arched his brow at Zayn and shook off his hand. He was an alpha. He could not change that now, could he?

Well, Harry did not deserve nice but he would be. As long as he could. But if Harry denied breaking the bond then he had to face the wrath. Louis could not help it. He did not want Harry. He would never want Harry.

Arthur sat just beside him, plastering himself beside Louis. That was a welcomed support. 

Zayn sat at the right side of him. Liam on the beanbag and Niall went for the armrest of the sofa where Harry sat. 

Barbara settled in the middle of everyone. 

Everyone looked at Louis and then at Harry. No one said anything. 

Louis sighed. 

“Okay. As no one is saying anything, I will start,” he said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, “Harry and I mated in the middle of my rut. Which,” he shrugged, looking at Barbara, “I think was Harry’s plan,” he could see from the corner of his eyes how Harry gripped Niall’s hand when the omega tried to stand up, “now I want to know what can we possibly do about it? Like, obviously I want an out. But how?”

Barbara wrote something down and then looked at Harry, “Harry? What do you want? Do you support Louis’ decision?”

Louis frowned. How was that important? He was the alpha, no? Hello?

Harry looked at his hands and nodded, “I want to break it.”

Well, nice then. Louis heard Arthur’s exhale beside him. Yeah, he was satisfied too. He gave Arthur’s knee a squeeze.

“Then I need to know some things. Personal things. Do you want to do it somewhere privately?” Barbara asked, her voice tender.

Louis watched Harry shook his head, “I think, I know all of them. I can’t move that much either,” the omega smiled, “so, ask here, if everyone is comfortable?”

Everyone shrugged. Niall looked tensed, he was sitting stiffly beside Harry. 

Barbara pulled out a book and started ruffling through the pages, her fingers skimming through them. 

Louis took that moment to watch Harry. The omega was paler than Louis remembered. His eyes were fixed on Barbara but he was nervous. Louis could tell by watching the way he held his bottom lip in between his teeth. His fingers were fidgeting just the way Louis remembered they did when Louis first took him home. Those curls were greasy now, matted. Louis looked down to see Harry was wearing woollen socks. He was cold then. Really cold. 

Something was nagging Louis. 

Louis could see how Harry had zipped the hoodie until his top. He was hiding the mark. Was it healed?

“Are you on your suppressants, Harry?” Barbara asked. 

Harry nodded, “yes. I take in every day throughout the month.”

Barbara nodded, writing something down, “when was the last time you had heat, Harry? Did you spend it alone?”

Louis watched Harry squirming in the seat. Louis frowned when he thought about the omega’s heats. Now that he thought about it, Harry had never asked him to spend his heats together. It was always Louis who would come to Harry for his ruts or any other time for that matter. Harry had never asked to spend time with him. 

“I had my last heat around the final exam last year. I had spent it alone,” Harry said, his cheeks tinted. 

“Are you sure?” Louis jumped when the question came from Arthur. His eyes, along with everyone’s fell on Arthur. 

Arthur shrugged, “I mean an omega’s heat is really intense when it happens after a long time. I am not sure how Harry managed it alone.”

“I think everyone is not as licentious as you then, Arthur,” Niall said through his teeth, “I was there and I know that he had spent it alone. Now,” he looked at Barbara, “your next question.”

“No need to be offensive, Niall. He was just stating the fact,” Louis said, his jaw set. How dare the omega say something like that to Arthur?

Niall huffed out a laugh, “I think you should not talk about facts, Louis. You are quite far away from facts yourself.”

Louis was angry. The omega was insulting him! Did not he know how to behave?

“Okay. Stop. You are stressing Harry out. Intentionally or not, he is newly-mated. He is bound to be weak. Stop fighting,” Barbara chastised them. 

“Harry? Are you on birth control?” Barbara asked. 

Harry nodded earnestly, “yes. Of course, I am. I take a shot once in six months and that covers the pregnancy.”

Barbara nodded, “When Louis bit you, were you knotted to him?”

Louis’ eyes widen. That was a private question. Liam coughed in his hand, Zayn was looking down at his phone. Arthur’s hands tightened on Louis’ wrist and Louis’ eyes found Harry.

The omega looked down at his fingers and nodded. 

“Did you bit him?”

Harry shook his head in denial. 

“What happened after he bit you, Harry? How did you feel?”

Louis was not sure how that was important but he wanted to know too. 

Harry inhaled, his chest rising, “it hurt. It hurt so badly.”

Louis watched Niall place his palm on Harry’s nape, rubbing him soothingly. 

“That means you are weak for the bond, Harry. You were not ready,” Barbara mumbled, her eyes squinted in a frown, “did you feel faint after that?”

Harry nodded wordlessly. 

Barbara shook her head, “that is not good.”

“What do you mean?” Niall asked. 

She looked at Niall and shrugged, “when mating happens, it happens in two ways. Full mating, where the alpha bites the omega and the omega bites back. That is like a cycle. The alpha’s bite carries Rabies virus and when it goes in the omega’s body, it poisons the omega. Just like any other normal person. The omega’s blood carries the virus too so when an alpha’s rabies mixes with his blood, it becomes powerful. Way too powerful for an omega’s body. That is the reason, the omega bites back. Just to pass the extra amount of the virus in the alpha. That way, they maintain a normal cycle and just because they bit each other, they share a bond. A bond where, if one is affected, the other feels it to a level. The strength builds gradually,” she sighed then, “but when a one-sided mating happens, it causes serious damages. Like, if it is an alpha who was bitten, the alpha can get sick and tired time to time but it is curable because an alpha is stronger than an omega. But when an omega gets the bite, it is more harmful. The strength of an alpha’s Rabies is really tremendous. The Omega can get seriously ill or weak. Sometimes,” she bit her lips, her eyes sorrowful. 

“Sometimes?” Niall prompted her. 

“Sometimes, the omega becomes infertile because the virus attacks that part of an omega’s body and even if he carries a baby, there is a fair chance that he would not survive the birth or there might be problems,” she looked down at her books.

Louis could not feel his lungs. His mouth was open but he was not breathing. He looked at Barbara and his neck was stiff. He could not move.

_“There is a fair chance that he would not survive the birth,”_

Everyone turned to see Harry. 

Harry was looking at Barbara. His face had no expression whatsoever. 

“Well, it is good news that I am not pregnant then?” Harry said, smiling. 

Barbara shook her head, “well. There is more. We need to break the bond as both of you want that. It causes heavy blood loss. You have to find a donor before we even start. Find an omega to donate blood as you can’t take an alpha’s blood. You already look so pale. It will be so painful.”

Louis looked back at Harry. The omega nodded, “okay. Anything else?”

Barbara hesitated, her eyes flickering over Louis and then back at Harry, “you should be aware of how the removal works.”

Harry gestured for her to go on. 

She looked down at her books as she said, “well. We will put two fervid sticks of mercury in those bite marks to soak away the poison. That cause burn and you cannot be on anaesthesia so you will feel it. It hurts. It really hurts so we have to cuff you. Then we will let it dry for 30 minutes that is when the bleeding starts. After thirty minutes, we will sew it back and it will be fine.”

_It will be fine? Cuff Harry? Painful?_

Louis could not feel his hands where they were clasped together. His eyes rounded as he stared at Barbara. 

“This is all your bloody fault,” Niall screamed suddenly, ripping his hands out of Harry’s hold to leap himself at Louis. Louis could not fathom what was happening until Arthur shrieked. Niall was slapping him and then Liam was on his feet, trying to get Niall away. Zayn was trying to shield Louis. In between all that, Louis saw Harry. 

Harry was just staring at the floor. His eyes furrowed. He looked helpless, alone.

Louis looked away, trying to push Niall off. Liam was pulling Niall away. 

“When can I visit you to remove it?” 

The question tore through the air. Niall’s hands stopped in midair. So did Liam’s words and Zayn’s attempts. 

Barbara shrugged, “in two weeks. First, you need to be healthy enough to go through that. You have to take care of yourself. Eat four times in a day or more. Don’t do heavy exercises. Don’t take stress. Stay away from the alpha who caused this. This is important. You have to stay away from the alpha who caused this. He can trigger the bond. It is tentative and new. We don’t want to make the bond stronger so you have to stay away from him. His alpha will be restless no matter what he says. You will feel it too, like, your omega will try to get to him but please don’t. That will hurt you at the end. Try to stay positive and happy as much as you can. I will leave three pregnancy kits here. You will check it tomorrow morning then at the end of the week and the last one before visiting the hospital. I need those results. You can work, that is fine but don’t do a lot of it. Don’t take weights and don’t leave the mark open. Keep it hidden by a scarf or something as you can see, it was not done completely, if dust gets through it, it can cause infection. I guess that is all for now. Niall has my number, call me if needed. I am always happy to help,” she exhaled. Her smile was kind as she reached out to give Harry’s hand a squeeze.

Harry nodded, his hands reaching out to take the folder Barbara extended towards him. 

His fingers were shaking. Louis watched Harry take the folder and pull it closer to his chest. 

“You should have researched before getting yourself into this,” Louis said, “now your plan is backfiring.” He said it in a monotonous voice. 

“Louis!” Liam hissed. Zayn was shaking his head, his lips tugged down in a disgusted frown. 

Niall was almost on his toes until Harry placed his hand on his thigh. 

Harry did not answer. He did not look at Louis. He stood up, his hands clutching the folder close to his chest. His feet tangled together as he went. 

Louis watched him go. His chest giving out some spasms. He frowned when he realized, he wanted to go and check if Harry was okay. Well, he would not. Nope.

Niall stood up abruptly, “well then. Please leave, all of you. I think I am done with seeing some fuckers’ faces. The door is right behind you,” he turned to face Barbara with a small smile, “thank you so much for coming, Barbs. It really means a lot.”

She shook her head, “as a doctor, it is my duty, Niall. Don’t worry about him. He will be fine.”

Niall nodded. Though he looked unconvinced. 

Everyone moved towards the door. Louis turned his neck to see the closed bedroom door but Niall blocked his view. The omega glared at him, his arms crossed over his chest. Louis rolled his eyes and turned away. 

Well, Harry could not stay away from him. Louis knew that. He would see the omega very soon anyway. 

When they were outside of the flat, Liam groaned in his hands. 

“It is not like he is that critical. Is he?” Arthur asked.

Barbara smiled crucially at him, “well, Arthur, I wish you knew how hard it is.”

Louis could not feel guilty. It was not his fault. He jerked his shoulders. 

“Well, he should have planned this thoroughly then. He should have researched before doing it.”

“I can’t believe you are saying the same shit from the start. Really? He knows that, Louis. He is an omega. He has learnt these things in his sex education class. He knows. He did not plan this.” Liam almost shouted. 

“Exactly,” Zayn said, “did you even see him today, Louis? He was so pale and disoriented. I have never seen Harry so gloomy. Did not you see the way he kept squirming while holding his chest? Perrie told me how much he might be hurting at the moment. His chest is throbbing. As per her words, he is cold and he will have nightmares or some shit like that because how ruthlessly you kicked him away. A newly mated omega needs to be treated like a fragile baby. He knew all of it and you are telling us that he did it knowingly? There is no way he did it knowingly.”

Arthur shrugged beside them, “see, I am not saying he did it knowingly but you have to think. He knows how rich Louis is. What if he needs money?”

Barbara shook her head, “no one will put themselves through this to get money, Arthur. He can be infertile for life. Are you serious?”

Louis said nothing. His eyes were stuck on the concrete path. Harry’s wobbly feet and those disoriented eyes were stuck in his brain. 

“Everything will be fine.” He said aloud. He was not sure, whom he wanted to assure. 

 

\---***--- ---***---

 

“You are awake?” Niall’s words made Harry jump. Yes. He was sitting on the windowsill, his head rested on his knees as he watched the tower of their university building. 

The night was peaceful. The buildings looked dark and mysterious under those street-lamps. The headlights of the passing cars were not enough to lighten up the road properly. Harry was watching how time went on. 

He nodded at his best friend, “can’t sleep.”

He felt when Niall came to sit in front of him. For a moment, none of the two said anything. Then Niall reached out to take Harry’s hands in his. 

Harry looked down at their clasped hands and his eyes blurred. After the whole day of hurtful comments and snide remarks and doubtful looks, Niall’s warm touch was like raindrops on an unpopulated desert. 

Harry let his eyes cloud. He let those worries fall from his eyes as tears. He cried. 

Niall said nothing. His hands held Harry’s and Harry could feel that the omega was crying too. He could hear him sniffing.

“Niall?” Harry hiccupped, wiping his nose with the sweater paw, “will you promise me one thing?”

Niall nodded eagerly, his eyes watering even more, “anything, Hazza. I will promise you everything you need.”

Harry tightened his grip on his best friend’s hands, “if… if I get pregnant and don’t make it through the birth, will you,” a loud sob escaped his mouth, he inhaled through his mouth and finally met Niall’s eyes, “will you take responsibilities of my pups?”

Niall sucked air into his lungs, shaking his head, “why are you saying this, Haz? You will be fine. You are not pregnant. You are fine!”

Harry shook his head, “I don’t know, Ni, I,” he looked down at his crossed legs, “if I am. I know, Louis might not want to take any responsibilities and I don’t blame him. I can’t abort them, Ni. I… I might never…” he broke out in heavy sobs. 

Niall shook his head forcefully, “nothing will happen to you. You will be fine. Why are you thinking like this? Don't you blame Louis for putting you through all this? He played with your life, Haz!”

Harry looked out, “I know he did. I know that. But I let him. I let him drive me ‘til the edge. I am responsible for all this too. Right? I was the one who fell in love. I love him, Niall. I…” he shook his head, “let it be. Just promise me that you will take care of my pups. My mum might need some help. She can’t do everything on her own. Gemma will be busy with her own babies as she already has one. Will you take care of them?”

Niall’s nose scrunched up, his lips wobbled as he cried, “you will be here if your pups come to this world. You will be fine. You are not leaving. No! We promised to tour the world together when we turn fifty. You are not breaking your promise. You promised to tell my grandchildren about our childhood. You are not bailing on that.”

Harry cried too, his eyes swollen as his lips stretched on a smile, “you will raise them together. Will you tell them about me?”

Niall stood up, turning away, “stop it, Harry. Just don’t say things like that, okay? Please! You are not even pregnant. Everything will be fine. I know it. My heart says so.”

Harry said nothing. He pulled his knees closer to him. His head rested on the windowsill. 

“I will just go and check on something,” Niall hurried out of the room. 

Harry shook his head, smiling at the horizon. His best friend was terrible at making excuses. 

His friend would miss him if something happened to him. He closed his eyes, letting the cool breeze soothe his burning skin. He was in pain. His abdomen hurt. He hoped that he was not pregnant. 

Please, God. Please. Babies did not deserve to come to this world with divided parents. Harry did not want to leave them in this world alone. That would be so fucked up!

 

\---***--- ---***---

 

“Are you sure that you don’t want me to stay the night?” Arthur asked, rubbing Louis’ shoulder softly. 

Louis sat on the sofa, shuffling through the channels on the television. His mind was restless. He felt jittery and maybe for the first time since he realized that he loved Arthur, he wanted Arthur to leave him alone. 

“I think, I will be fine, Arthur. I am tired and need to sleep this whole day away.” Louis said, sighing. 

Arthur nodded beside him, “I agree. Okay, then. Take rest.”

He ruffled Louis’ hair and stood up to leave. 

Louis looked at the clock. It was 11 pm. 

“Are you going to be fine or do you need me to take you home?” He asked. 

Arthur shook his head, smiling, “I have texted George. He is coming to pick me up. I will just go and stand outside. You relax. You need some sleep anyway.”

Louis watched him go. When the door was closed, he slumped down on the sofa, closing his eyes. He was tired. Yes. But his alpha was restless. 

He could feel a faint ache in his chest that he knew was not his feelings. It was Harry’s. Harry was awake and not in a good mood. Louis could not pinpoint the emotions because of the half-mating status but he could faintly feel Harry. 

Harry was not asleep. Was he fine?

Louis shook his head. No. Harry was no way his problem. Harry got himself in this situation. Louis had nothing to do with it. 

Louis nodded his head. Right. Harry was at fault for whatever happened. Louis was not going to feel guilty. 

No.

He went to his room, lying down face first. His brows furrowed. 

The pillows and his bed smelt like Harry. 

The smell was mixed with his and Louis could not help but take a deep breath. Their smell mixed quite well.

He closed his eyes, trying to remember what happened. He could not. All he could remember was Harry’s eyes as they watched him. Those lips when they stretched to accommodate his girth. 

He tried not to think about these past two years. 

He tried not to think too much about the mark he left on Harry. 

In these past two years, Harry had never asked a single favour from him. Louis tried not to think about Harry’s tired eyes. 

His inside swooped with an uncomfortable twist when he remembered how Harry left. He was cold. He was really feeling weak. 

Louis closed his eyes. 

He was confused. Well, confusion was better than guilt. He would take confusion over guilt any day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? Okay?   
> Leave your precious comments. I would love to read them. Leave Kudos too if you did not already. ;)


	3. Chapter - 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to let you all know...
> 
> Well, none of us actually saw a werewolf. None of us. They are supernatural beings we like to imagine. 
> 
> Imagination varies. My imagination is mine. Maybe they don't match with someone else's story and that don't make mine or that person's stories unrealistic. Well, you are reading about werewolves, you are already in an unrealistic world. Still...
> 
> If you don't think this is how your imagination works, please don't read. I would not want to harm your ideas.  
> I am sorry if I did already.

Harry’s mother always taught him to be positive. His life motto was to be positive. Good things happened to good people. He believed it.

So when the pregnancy result showed a positive sign, Harry was not sure if it was his life showing him the meaning of irony or not. 

His hands shook as he tried to hold the kit tightly in them. He could feel his skin breaking with sweat and goosebumps. 

He was pregnant. 

With Louis’ baby. 

The alpha who would never accept it. 

His vision blurred for the billionth time. Harry sniffed, his hands losing balance and the kit fell on the floor, making a very unpleasant sound. 

Harry closed his eyes, hiding his face in his palms. He was pregnant. A life was growing in him, who was so dependent on him and knew only him in this world. It was like; he was suddenly positioned as the God in someone’s life. Harry could make or break that fetus in him. 

As much as it thrilled him, it scared him too. 

His own life was at risk. What if something happened to him? With whom would he leave his baby? 

Giving birth and never seeing his pup’s face was what hurt Harry the most. He could not think about that now though. There was so much to think about. His head hurt as he thought about informing his parents about this. He could feel his eyes welling up when he thought about telling Louis about this. Harry was a coward; he was not ready to face the alpha again. He was not ready to see the disappointment and wrath in those blue eyes. He feared the rejection his baby had to face. He knew it was inevitable. Louis would never agree to be a part of this pregnancy. It was all on him. That scared the shit out of him. 

Harry stood up on his shaky legs, counting the steps he was taking as he left the bathroom.

When he reached the hall, he sat down on the sofa. He could hear Niall wandering around the kitchen. He was getting ready for his classes. Harry needed to get ready too but his head was a jumbled mess and he was surely too immobile to move around. 

“Harry?” Niall called when he saw the curly-haired omega on the sofa, “what happened?” he came to sit beside his best friend. 

Harry’s eyes found Niall. He reached out, pulling Niall closer. Niall was the only one whom Harry trusted with everything. 

“The test,” he said, surprisingly his voice was not wavering, “it is positive, Niall.”

Niall’s eyes widened. His hands clutched Harry’s and Harry could see how pale Niall looked suddenly.

“Are-are you s-sure?” Niall asked. 

Harry had to laugh, “of course, I am, Niall. The plus sign was just glaringly obvious.”

Niall said nothing then, his mouth opened and closed. Harry was not feeling anything. It was like an out of body experience. He was not feeling scared or tensed. He was just immobile. His heartbeat was normal too. 

“We-we need to visit the hospital. Barbs, she would know something. Let’s go,” Niall stood up, his face determined. Harry could see the fear in those eyes and he knew, he should be scared too but… he was not. He was just in a haze. His mind did not work anymore. He stood up, following Niall as the omega lead him to his bedroom. 

Barbara, yeah. She would know something. 

 

++++++

 

Louis tapped his fingers on the desk as his eyes were set on the professor who was saying something about the mechanism. His eyes were set on the professor but his mind was lost. He was not concentrating when he should. 

The thing was, it was half-past twelve now. The sun was almost over their heads.

Where was Harry? 

Did he take the test?

What was the result?

Louis’ mind raced through the possibilities. He looked down at the phone in his left hand and no. Nothing was there. He did not even get a message. 

Something was wrong. He could feel it. 

It was like waiting for your result when you know that you are not going to pass. The fear was eating Louis alive. What if Harry was pregnant? Louis was expected to bear their expenses, right? He could do that but what if that bloody moron wanted something more? What if Harry did not want to be a single father? 

Where would that leave his chances with Arthur then?

Then again, Louis was not ready to be a father. He was not. He was not ready to be a part of that kind of charade now. Maybe in future. Not with Harry though. No. Never. 

He was just a time pass. God! Why?

His eyes found the phone again. Was it dead? 

Louis pressed the home button and the phone lightened up. It had 63% battery. Louis sighed. Where was Harry? 

He sat up straighter when Mr. Brown commanded them to draw the chart showed on the board. He would call Harry after this class. Yeah. He would. 

 

+++++++

 

Barbara looked down at the photo they had clicked of the pregnancy kit. Her eyes stuck on the photo. 

Niall was fidgeting in his chair beside Harry and Harry was just waiting for Barbara to say something. 

“You are pregnant,” Barbara said. 

Harry had to laugh. He nodded his head, “I know that, Barbara. We have confirmed that. Now tell me about my condition.”

Barbara watched him with confusion, “your condition?”

Harry sighed, “am I going to survive this? Am I going to be alive to see my pup?”

Niall whimpered, “can you be a bit more sensitive about it, Harry?”

Harry shrugged, looking down, “I don’t want to sugarcoat it, Niall. I want to know the full picture,” he looked at Barbara, “tell me.”

Barbara blinked. Maybe shocked by Harry’s determined face. Then she sat up straighter on her seat and coughed, clearing her voice. 

She looked down at the reports on her desk and chewed her lips. 

Harry had to take the pregnancy test twice more when they arrived here. Just to be sure and then the blood test report was there too. 

He was pregnant. 

“Now we don’t need to do the test for two weeks as the first result was positive. Harry is pregnant,” she said, “now; there are two ways it can go. One, you can abort the baby, Harry. It will cost you your fertility but your life will be secure. Two, you can give birth. In that case,” Barbara looked hesitant for a moment and then she was back being the professional doctor, “your life is in danger. In these failed mating pregnancies, we see many miscarriages too. If a miscarriage happens, you shall be fine. But if the baby is born then I am not sure about you. I have to be very blunt here, Harry, I am sorry but, there is 99.9% possibility that you might not survive this.”

Niall broke down soundly, crying in his hands. 

Harry blinked at Barbara. His heart lurched in his throat. Not for his life. He was not scared of dying but it pained to know that he might not be there to see his pup’s face. Ever. His baby would never know him. He would not be there for their first words. Harry might not be there for their first day in school. His eyes prickled with tears. His baby would not know what a happy family looked like. His omega whined in him when he thought about leaving his baby in this world alone. 

But staying alive with infertility? Harry could not do that. 

He could not kill his firstborn either. He was blessed with a baby and he would not kill the fetus just because of the danger on his life. No. 

“I would like to keep it,” he said. 

A gasp came from Niall and Barbara looked ashen.

“What?” Niall shrieked. 

Barbara gulped, “Are you sure, Harry? You have time to think, Harry. You have nine weeks. After that, it would be impossible to abort. Well, we can abort then but it is risky. Think about it and report to me after seven weeks, Harry. Discuss it with your parents. They have a right to say what happens to you. You are their baby first.”

Harry nodded. He had to inform three people now. His parents, Gemma and Louis. 

The last name was the hardest. 

He sighed.

He had made his decision. He was not going to abort the kid. No matter what happened. 

“What about the mating mark? Can you remove that now?” Niall asked Barbara. 

Barbara shook her head, “removing bond causes a lot of blood loss. We can’t take the risk with a pregnant omega now. It is another down-point for Harry. His mating is not done properly. The wound is open. It can cause a lot of trouble. Infection is the first one. It is like an open door for problems. A failed mating leaves an omega vulnerable. It makes the omega weak. I am not sure about your resistance power, Harry. You might be sick through the pregnancy if you decide to go for it. Think about it too.”

Harry nodded. 

Barbara started writing something on her pad, “I am writing down your diet and some medicines. You should follow the chart and take the medicine time to time,” she handed the chart to Niall and smiled at Harry, “I will do everything in my power to protect you, Harry. You can trust me on that.”

Harry knew that. He smiled at her and thanked her before they left. 

As they walked in the lift, Niall pressed the ground-floor button. 

“Are you going to tell Louis about it?” Niall asked. They were alone in the lift. Harry looked at his friend and nodded.

“He needs to know. I don’t want him to bear my expenses or anything but as a father, he should be aware.” 

Niall pursed his lips, “he would freak out, you know?”

Harry huffed out a short laugh, “Of course I know. But can we help it? I will just inform him and then we will be done with it. He might never show me his face again.”

That thought hurt. Harry would admit. He looked down at his flat stomach and placed a hand on it, smiling. His eyes watered when he thought about leaving the baby alone. Should he really go through it? What if his baby hated him? He was leaving the baby in whose hands? No one was there. His parents were old. Would they be fine with an infant?

Niall was there too but he would have his own family one day. No one stayed forever. Harry hoped his baby would be fine.

He wished for Louis to accept the baby at least. Harry would leave happily if he knew that his baby had his dad by his side. Louis was protective. Harry knew that. he would take care of the baby. Harry closed his eyes as he thought about a future where his baby might know Arthur as his papa. 

His eyes watered again. 

He shook his head. His breathing irregular as he pulled out his phone. 

_“Can we meet at the Cup O’ Samuel? We need to talk.”_

He sent the message.

Harry raised his brows when the blue ticks were shown in a second. Was Louis online? He was in class, as Harry knew. 

Three dots came up next. Harry looked at the screen with his heart hammering in his chest. Why was he so tensed? 

_“Yes, when?”_

Harry sighed, _“Now? In fifteen minutes?”_

_“Fine. I will be there. Don’t be late.”_

Harry smiled at the last sentence. Louis hated latecomers. Harry knew so much about the alpha that it sometimes scared him.

“What did he say?” Niall peeped in. His eyes set on Harry’s mobile. 

Harry shrugged, “I am meeting him in the café. In fifteen or so minutes.”

Niall placed his hand on Harry’s left shoulder. When Harry turned his head, Niall was looking at him with a frown.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

Harry shook his head, “I think I need some time alone with him. Maybe this is the last time we are going to see each other.”

Niall shook his head, “our friend circle is same, you know? Intentionally or not, you will bump into each other time to time.”

Harry looked down at his boots, “yeah. That… yeah.”

Niall patted his back, “do you want him to be there through this?”

Harry leaned his shoulder on the wall of the lift and sighed, “of course I do, Niall. Obviously, I do. He is the father of my child. I want him to be there for us but at what expense? I might not be comfortable if he is not there willingly. He might demean my pup and I am already so protective of the baby that I might hate him. I love him, Niall. Obviously, I will crave him during this period of my life. But I have to be strong now. No?”

There was a smile on Niall’s face. Harry watched it spread until the omega was beaming at him. 

Harry arched an eyebrow at his friend, “what?”

Niall shook his head, smiling, “you are handling all this so maturely, Harry. I thought you will be weeping as you find out that you are pregnant.”

Harry swatted the omega’s shoulder and laughed, “I have always wanted kids, Niall. You know that. Yeah, the circumstances are difficult now but that doesn’t mean I will deny my own child,” he placed his hands over his stomach and smiled down at it, “I will protect this pup as long as I am present here.”

When he looked up when the door of the lift opened, Niall’s face was sad. The omega sniffed, “you are going to be fine, Harry. you will be absolutely fine.”

Harry nodded, smiling at his best friend. He hoped so. He really hoped so. 

 

+++++++

 

When Harry walked into the café, his eyes found the alpha almost immediately. He was sitting at the last table at the corner of the café. His favourite place. 

Harry balled his fists and inhaled, trying to calm his racing heart down. If he could, he would just run away. Louis’ criticism was fine when he had to bear it but Harry would not take it on his baby. 

As he stepped forward, the alpha’s eyes fell on him. Louis’ shoulders tensed immediately. Harry could see it. The alpha watched him with an expertly done blank expression. Harry sighed. 

It was time. 

 

+++++++

 

Harry looked small and cosy in that faded green coloured sweater with “Obsession” written over it. His curls were held back by a blue bandana. As the omega advanced towards Louis’ table, Louis took in the omega’s stance. 

He was nervous. His plush bottom lip was caught in between his teeth. Those green eyes were glued on the tiled floor. Louis could see how the omega almost tripped over the leg of a chair. He sighed. 

When Harry sat down on the opposite side of the table, Louis could not help but take a detailed look at the omega. 

The sun was hidden behind the grey clouds; it reminded Louis of London and made him homesick. Harry’s face looked ashen as the glassed window showered him with the cloudy rays of the sun. The skin under his green eyes looked purplish. Harry did not sleep well as it seemed. 

“Hi,” Louis breathed out. 

Suddenly he felt at ease. 

Harry nodded, fidgeting with his fingers. 

Louis knew that habit too. The omega was nervous. 

“Did you take the test?” Louis was getting restless. He had to know. 

Harry closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. When he opened his eyes, those moss orbs fell on Louis.

“I am pregnant with your baby.”

Some words were capable of making one’s world stop. Some words were enough to stop one’s heartbeat. Some would hitch your breath and suddenly you would feel breathless. Some were able to make your mind run miles and some would make you doubt your sanity. 

Louis felt all of it at once. 

His hands clasped the coffee mug tightly in his hands. He ignored how hot the cup was against his palms. His eyes were focused on Harry, who was blinking back at him. 

Louis could not say anything. He just blinked. His heart raced in his heart. 

“It is not my baby,” he blurted out before he could think better of it. 

Harry frowned in front of him and the omega’s eyes showed hurt. Well, Louis was not sure what to say. How was he supposed to just believe Harry like that?

When Harry said nothing to protest, Louis leaned forward, “I need a DNA test. How am I supposed to know that it is my baby?”

Harry sighed then, his eyes dropped on the table and when he looked up, his jaw was set. Those green eyes were guarded now. 

“No, Louis,” Harry said, his voice slow and deliberate. As if he was talking to an errant child, “I don’t care if you believe it or not, the child is yours. I am having your baby,” he held up his left hand when Louis opened his mouth to speak, “but if you want a way out, I will let you. You don’t need to be a part of this. If you don’t want to, I will not force you into this mess.”

Louis’ alpha seethed in him. He was angry at the omega’s words and determination. 

Louis frowned, “so you come up to me and tell me that you are having my baby and what? Should I believe you? Just like that? What if it is not mine and you are just trying to frame me? I am just asking for a DNA test!”

Harry shook his head, “we know each other for almost two years, Louis. Do you really think that if I wanted to frame you, I would wait this long? I would have done it ages ago. You are not getting a DNA test, Louis. I don’t want to prove anything. I am not going to feed your suspicion. I just came here to inform you about the kid. If you don’t believe me, that is fine. I will take care of my child,” Harry hugged his stomach and looked down at his lap, “I thought, you should know. So I told you.”

Louis could not come up with words. His mind was blank. Harry had never talked back before. He would always do whatever Louis would tell him. He was always so submissive and pliant for Louis. Now…

This Harry was different. There was fierceness in those green eyes as they looked at Louis. The omega looked defiant and stubborn. Louis knew why. Any omega, when pregnant, became protective. They would do anything to protect their child.

Louis looked down at Harry’s belly. It was as flat as he remembered. Well, obviously it was. 

“So, if I don’t want to be a part of it, you will leave me alone?” Louis asked, his voice low, doubtful. 

Harry looked at the road through the window and nodded, “yes, I will. You will never see my face again. I promise you that. This baby will never know about you if you want.”

A growl ripped through Louis’ chest, his wolf howling at him. For an alpha, his family was everything. Mostly his baby, his pups and his omega. Louis’ rational mind was not ready to accept the baby as his but his alpha knew. His subconscious mind knew that the fetus that was growing in Harry was his child. 

Instinctively, Louis reached out, his hand stretched over the table towards Harry. When Harry looked at it questioningly, Louis pulled back. He coughed in his hand and looked at Harry. 

“Even if it is my pup, what do you expect me to do?” 

When Harry frowned at him in confusion, Louis sighed, “what is my role here, Harry? Do you want me to pay the bills for them? Do you want me to pay childcare until the baby is eighteen? Do you want money?”

Harry shook his head, “keep your money to yourself, Louis. I don’t need a penny from it. I did not come here to beg you about it. I just thought you should know. And what I want from you? I want nothing. Yeah, I think that is all. I will not waste your time then. Thank you for coming, Louis.”

Louis gritted his teeth when Harry tried to stand up. He reached out and gripped Harry’s wrist, pulling him back. 

Harry looked down at his wrist and back at Louis.

“How am I supposed to believe you? What if you go to the press after this?”

Something like hurt flashed through those green eyes. Harry recoiled, his eyes dropping on the floor. 

“Can you sit down and maybe we can talk maturely?” Louis gritted out. His head hurt. It was a lot of information for him to digest and Harry was not helping. 

Harry nodded, sitting down without making any noise. He looked dejected. 

Louis took a sip of his coffee and tried to shoo away his headache. It was a failed attempt.

“You need to understand my point, Harry. I was a normal young alpha yesterday and today I am going to be a father according to you. I really need a DNA test. Even if not for me, for my parents. How am I supposed to tell them and make them believe it?” 

Harry looked down at the table, scratching the surface with the side of his thumbnail, “I am giving you a way out, Louis. Take it and leave. You don’t need to tell them anything. I will not open my mouth either.”

Louis wanted to pull his hair out of his scalp. Harry was behaving so stubbornly at the moment. Louis had never worked well with frustration.

“Are you even understanding my point, Harry?” Louis asked, his voice cold. His eyes blazed as they directed his anger at the omega. 

Harry shook his head, those chocolaty curls bouncing on his head, “no, Louis. I am done understanding your points. I am done with waiting. I need to be strong now. I understood when you told me that you don’t want anything serious with me,” a half smile played on Harry’s face, “I understood when you came in me while taking Arthur’s name. I understood when you kicked me out of your room after sex. I understood when you mated me and then blamed it all on me,” those green eyes pooled with tears now, “I tolerated everything you put me through. I did,” Harry sounded urgent, “because I love you.”

Louis leaned away from the table, his back hitting the backrest of the chair as he stared at Harry. His ears were suddenly locked. Like tornado was passing through his head. Louis could feel his heart sinking down to his stomach. Suddenly his palms were cold even against the scorching mug of coffee.

No one had ever confessed their love for Louis like this. Yeah, he got a lot of proposals but Harry sounded like none of them. He sounded resigned, he sounded hopeless. He did not hope for an answer. He was just saying it as it was. Like, the world rotated around the sun. Informative. 

Louis had no clue what to say. He did not have to though…

Harry let out a small laugh, “I went through all those things and understood your problems and ignored your hurtful, snide remarks because I love you. but now…” his eyes were sincere, cutting through Louis’ chest, “I am pregnant, Louis. I have a baby, who is defenceless, in me. The pup is my priority. I will not take insult from you if you are directing it to my baby. I don’t care who you are or who your family is, Louis. I just came here to inform you and now you can leave.”  
Louis inhaled, trying to sort his jumbled up thoughts out. The café was busy as Louis could see but he felt alone, cornered. 

“It is very sudden. What about the mating mark?” Louis gestured towards the mark on Harry’s neck. It was hidden under the sweater.

Harry shrugged, “Barbs said that we can’t remove it now. I will lose a lot of blood and that is not good for the baby.”

Irritation was building in Louis. His eyes hard on the omega who looked so calm. 

“So now I have a half-mate and a baby on the way? What do you expect me to do, Harry? Welcome all this with open arms? I have no say in it?” he almost hissed.

Harry shrugged, “just nine months, Louis. Then the baby will be my parents’ responsibility and I will be gone.”

Louis frowned, leaning forward, “gone? Where?”

Harry looked at the busy street beside the café, his eyes glistening; “away from all this.” he turned to face Louis then, smiling, “you will never see me again.”

The smile was unsettling. 

Harry was hiding something. Louis tried to understand what but Harry was already looking down at his lap, not meeting the alpha’s eyes. 

“I need time to think, Harry. Give me some time,” Louis said, looking at his clenched fists on the table. 

Harry nodded, standing up, “sure, Louis. If you feel like you want to be a part of it, you are welcome. If you don’t want to be a part of it, I will not even tell anyone about you being the father. If you want, I will sign some contract or something. You don’t worry.”

Louis opened his mouth to say something but Harry was already stepping away from the table, his head bowed. 

Louis watched the omega go. His eyes followed Harry as he tripped over nothing and then said sorry to the waitress with a sad pout as he almost hit her on her shoulder. He worked here, the waitress knew him. She shook her head with an exasperated eye-roll and a fond smile. 

**_“I tolerated everything you put me through because I love you.”_**

It was not a past tense. Louis realized with a start. 

Harry loved him still. After all this. 

 

+++++++

 

“I am disappointed in you, Louis,” Jay said through the phone. Her voice sounded stern and cold. Louis sighed, closing his eyes. 

As he sat on the bench at the back of their university and watched students wandering around, smiling, he could feel his tiredness and confusion engulfing him. 

“I know, mum. I am sorry. I did not know that he was not taking suppressant or birth control. I still think he is trying to frame me.”

Jay stayed silent for a moment. Louis appreciated it. He was trying to even out his own breathing. 

“What should I do, mum?” Louis asked, desperate. He was so confused. 

“Well, as much as I hate to say this, being an omega myself, you do need to test the DNA. I don’t know Harry. I don’t know if he will lie or not but we need to be confirmed. Ask him again. And do it maturely this time. But more importantly, Louis, do you want to be a part of all this?”

Louis frowned down at his shoes, “if Harry is not lying then… he is carrying my pup, mum. I know that the idea beat the shit out of me but it is the truth. I have never wanted to be a father and definitely not when it was not Arthur who is carrying it but can I really let my firstborn go?”

The idea made his stomach turn with sickness. 

The thought that his firstborn would never know his name was terrifying. 

A chuckle was heard over the phone, “then I guess, you need to gear up, my boy. It is going to be a hard nine months.”

Louis smiled down at his lap and then frowned, “what am I supposed to say to Arthur, mum?”

“That is your call, Boo. You have a lot on your plate now. Take some time and think. You need to be more mature now. If the DNA test is positive then you are going to be a father, Louis. I hope you can fill the shoes.”

Louis nodded, “Yeah. Yeah.”

 

+++++++

 

“That’s it?” Niall thundered, his eyes wide with disbelieve, “that dick had the audacity to doubt you?”

Harry sat on the grass, his back resting against the tree at the northern side of the campus, “I don’t blame him, Ni. In a matter of some hours the world has changed for him.”

Niall shook his head, “don’t even try to take his side, Haz. That bastard does not deserve it. Why would you get pregnant when your own life is in danger?”

Harry shook his head, “I did not tell him that.”

Niall stopped talking and looked at his friend confusedly, “you did not tell him that you are crucial? Why?”

Harry looked down at the camera on his thigh and sighed, “I don’t want him to tell me that I am trying to gain his sympathy,” he looked at Niall and took the omega’s hands in his, “I don’t want anyone to know about my condition, Niall. I don’t want them to blame the baby if something happens to me. I don’t want my parents to be hostile towards the kid. Please, Niall. Promise me that you will not tell anyone about my condition.”

Niall shook his head, his breath caught in his throat, “I can’t do that, Haz. How am I supposed to see you getting weaker day by day and not utter a word? I can’t, Harry. I can’t do that.”

Harry gripped Niall’s hands even more tightly in his, “but they can do nothing if something serious happens to me. I will take care of myself, Niall. I promise but if they know, they will force me to abort the baby. I can’t do that. They might try to emotionally blackmail me or they might not be happy throughout my pregnancy. I don’t want that, Niall.”

Niall’s eyes were tearing up. He shook his head vehemently. Why was Harry doing it? Why was he pregnant? Why was everything so complicated?

Deep down in his heart, Niall wanted Anne to force Harry to abort the pup. Niall could not sacrifice his best friend for a baby he never saw. He could not imagine a day when he might call Harry and the call would not be answered. Niall could not imagine and would not imagine a day where Harry was not present in this world. It hurt. So bad. 

“I can’t keep such a huge thing secret, Harry. What if something happens to you? They will blame me that I knew and I did not tell them. I can’t live with that guilt!”

Harry shook his head, “no one will know. Even we don’t know. What if I come out fine after the pregnancy? Then? There is still 0.01% chance there. Is not it? I don’t want to spend these days with some sorrowful faces around me.” He pressed his thumbs on Niall’s pulse points, “what if I don’t make it? I don’t want to remember their sad faces, Niall. I might be all right if I stay in a healthy environment. I might be all right if I see happy faces around me.”

Niall had never felt so much pain in his lifetime. His eyes were glistening as Harry rambled. 

“What about me, Harry? I will see you every day and know that you are slowly walking near the end line… I… how am I supposed to let that happen? Our parents, they are older than us, Hazza. What if they know a solution?”

Harry shook his head, “we will contact Barbara. We will go through the internet and we will take precaution. I will do everything you tell me, Niall. Give me this. Don’t tell anyone about my condition. Please?”

When Niall said nothing, Harry sighed, “it is the last thing I am asking you to give me, Niall. Please.”

With a shove, Niall was standing up on his legs. The omega wiped his eyes with his sweater paws and let out a sob, “fine, you wanker. Do whatever you want.”

Harry watched his friend running away. His lips stretched on a smile. 

Well, he was not sure if he would make it or not but he was sure that in these nine months, he would build a safe future for his pup. So when and if he left, his child would be fine. 

Harry looked down at his stomach and caressed it, “I might not be here when you come to this world, baby. But know this, your father loves you. So much. I will plan everything for you before I leave. You will be fine. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to know if it was too long or too short. I know how much you all like to read long chapters for LMGA but I am not sure about this one. 
> 
> Let me know about it. x
> 
> Moreover, how was it? Did you like it? Let me know. :)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading. :)


	4. Chapter - 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I am just going through hell. Trust me. So sorry.

Arthur broke things off with George. 

Arthur was now sitting in Louis’ bed, almost on his lap, crying. 

He was finally single. And the way he was clinging to Louis, it was clear that he trusted the alpha. 

Louis was ecstatic. Well, he did not show it. He was murmuring sweet nothings in the omega’s ears but he was dancing inside. 

“You will get someone better,” Louis said, rubbing the boy’s back.

Arthur looked up at him, sniffing, “who? Who is better than George?”

The way those eyes twinkled, Louis was sure, Arthur just wanted Louis to confess. 

There was something tingling in Louis’ stomach. He was trying so hard to keep his smile at bay. 

He opened his mouth to say something when he heard Liam’s voice outside his room. 

“Niall, don’t worry. Please try to relax. You need to take care of him. I have already called Barbs. She is on the way. Harry will be fine.”

Louis stood up, his eyes boring on that wooden door. 

“I will be right back,” he managed to say to Arthur before he was flinging the door of his room open and catching Liam at the doorstep. 

Liam had just cut the call, forced the phone in his pocket and was now hopping on the spot to get the shoes on. 

“What happened?” Louis tried for nonchalance and winced when his voice sounded urgent. 

Liam looked at him with a sad expression, shrugging, “this is the fourth time in one week. Harry is constantly fainting.”

Louis felt his hands balling up beside him. Something cold ran through his spine.

He did not know that. 

He did not know that Harry was not well. 

Well, after that café incident, Louis did not see Harry anywhere. The Omega had ignored Louis’ calls and messages. It had been two weeks and Louis had rather given up. 

“Is he really?”

Louis and Liam both faced the omega at the room’s doorstep. Arthur pursed his lips, his tears soaked his cheeks. He looked blotched. 

“What?” Liam asked, confused. 

Arthur shrugged, looking at his nails, “well, is he really that ill or he is just begging to get Louis’ attention?”

Louis’ eyes widened. Well, that could be the reason. He looked back at Liam with questions in his eyes. But his doubt cleared as soon as he saw Liam’s face. Liam looked repulsed. 

Liam shook his head, “you know, what? Think whatever the bloody fuck you want to think. I will take your leave.”

Before closing the door behind him, Liam looked at Louis, sighing, “That boy doesn’t deserve all this, you know? If you have the guts to stick your dick in him, have the guts to accept the result. If you can’t, at least try to tame your friend over there. Because you are losing my respect, Louis. Really fast.”

Louis fish-mouthed and Liam did not wait. He slammed the door behind him and was just… gone!

Louis whipped around to look at Arthur, “can you believe him? Did he seriously just take Harry’s side?”

Arthur walked closer, “well, everyone falls for the one who can fake innocence. Sympathy works that way. I don’t really hate Harry, you know? He is a nice lad but he is doing all this for sympathy. Ignore him, Louis.”

Louis’ breath hitched when Arthur wrapped his arms around his torso and hid his face at the crook of Louis’ neck. 

Louis tried to calm his breathing as he wrapped Arthur up in his arms, sighing. Harry was a distant thought when Arthur was so close. 

“Can I stay here tonight?” Arthur asked, nuzzling his nose against Louis’ jaw. 

Louis could not answer verbally, he just nodded. 

Was it really happening?

As Arthur pulled him towards the bedroom, Louis’ heart skipped a bit. He loved that omega so much. 

_“I tolerated everything you put me through because I love you.”_

Louis shook his head, trying to ignore the bubble of worry.

“Let’s get drunk and go to sleep, yeah?” Arthur was saying. 

And… yeah. Drinking. Louis could do that.

+++ 

Arthur was sleeping on his bed. Just beside Louis. In his clothes.

Finally. 

And Louis was slipping out of the room. Silently. His mobile was in his hand, where he could see the dialled numbers. Liam did not pick up. 

Louis gritted his teeth as soon as his slippers hit the pavement. He hugged himself as he broke into a run. The roads were almost empty. Louis tried to run faster.

Louis’ anger was flaring. His confusion was building. Why was he going there anyway?

Harry gave him a way out. He did not even call or text Louis after that day. It had been days without Harry and that pregnancy thing. Louis’ life was set. Why was he getting himself in that mess?

Arthur. 

Louis sighed in bliss. 

Arthur was sleeping in his bed and Louis was not able to enjoy that. He was not able to just lay awake and stare at his future mate. 

Louis’ anger flared even more. 

When he ringed the doorbell of Harry’s flat, Louis was visibly angry. He would just go and take a look at Harry. Then shout at him for being overdramatic. Then he would leave. It would be fine.

Liam opened the door. His eyes frantic. 

“Louis?” he asked, astonished. 

Louis pushed him away, going straight to Harry’s room. Harry was going to pay for being such a pussy. 

“Louis! Where are you going?” Liam tried to stop him. 

Louis jerked his hand free from Liam’s grip and glared at his friend, “let me go and see him. He needs to know that begging for attention is not a charming thing about anyone.”

Louis was marching towards the door even before Liam could stop him. 

“You little sh…” Louis’ words halted as soon as he stepped inside that familiar room. 

Four pairs of eyes fell on him but Louis’ eyes were glued to the bed. 

Where Harry or a ghost of Harry was laying. An oxygen mask was covering his mouth. His body was shaking. Harry’s hair was matted to his pillow and forehead. Those green eyes were hidden underneath those heavy eyelids. Harry was whining unconsciously. 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” 

Louis blinked, trying to move his muscles. He turned his head to stare at Niall, who was glaring at him from his seat. His hands held a tub. A tub filled with reddish looking cotton-balls. 

The room smelled like blood and something so pungent that Louis’ alpha was clawing at his chest. 

“Wha-what is that?” Louis whispered, pointing at the tub in Niall’s hands. 

“He vomited blood,” Zayn whispered, looking stunned. He was there, sitting at the foot of the bed. His hands clutched Harry’s feet, rubbing it absentmindedly.

It was like hot oil rolling down someone’s hands, burning that path and leaving behind a deep mark as it went. Fear rolled down Louis’ veins, leaving behind a deep mark of guilt. 

He forced his eyes on Harry again. Harry took a breath and winced in his unconscious state. His lips trembled under the mask as he winced. 

Niall was crying, Louis could hear it. 

“He is putting himself through so much for your baby! He should abort it. I can’t believe…”

Niall left the room, the tub in his hands. 

Barbara was working frantically, almost shouting at her assistant. She injected something at the underside of Harry’s wrist and then took Harry’s temperature. 

“Ho-how is he?” Louis asked, his voice thin. 

Barbara shrugged, her eyes still on Harry, “alive. That is all he is. Breathing.”

Louis frowned, confused. What was the doctor saying? Of course, Harry was alive. Why would not he be?

He took a step into the room, just to be pulled back by Liam’s hand on his shoulder. When Louis turned to his friend, Liam shook his head.

“I think you should leave, Louis. Harry is doing well, he doesn’t need to see you again.”

A growl was all Liam got as an answer.

A slap was Louis’.

From Niall!

Louis blinked at the omega. Why did the omega like slapping Louis so much?

“What the fuck?” Louis hissed. 

“No,” Niall shook his head, “you don’t get to growl and stay. Just leave, Louis. Go back to the settled life that Harry blessed you with. Go to your omega. Leave the poor boy alone. Harry is going through a lot, Louis. He was just recovering from the shock that he is pregnant and the father will not be here to go through this with him. I don’t want him to get false hope. Please leave!” 

Louis shook his head, “I am not leaving and I don’t owe you an explanation for that. I will talk to Harry when he wakes up. Till then? I will see you try to make me leave!”

Niall was ready to fight. He took a step towards Louis and Louis stood his ground, not ready to back off either. Liam stopped them both. He pulled Niall away from Louis and Louis stepped further into the room.

 

**+++**

It was past three in the morning. Zayn was just sitting on the floor with his head on the bed, his hand touched Harry’s feet.

Liam and Niall were curled up on the small couch. 

Barbara had left for her house. She told Niall to call her anytime if something happened. They had some words at the main door, away from everyone. Niall came back with tears swimming in his eyes. 

Everything was so quiet around them. Zayn was snoring softly as he slept with his mouth open. 

Niall was still whimpering in his sleep as Liam held him close. 

Everyone was somehow, asleep. Well, except Louis. 

He sat beside Harry on the bed, now that Niall was not pushing him out of the room. His eyes were fixed on the omega who was laying there almost lifelessly. 

Louis had never seen Harry like that. 

He remembered coming back to this very same room with a giggling omega in his arms. He remembered a whining Harry who was so eager to just get Louis out of his clothes. He remembered waking up at midnight to find Harry sneaking out of the room for some midnight snacks and then making a face at his almost empty fridge. He remembered going to sleep while hearing the omega breathing on his chest. Louis had never seen Harry like this. So… empty and motionless. He was always moving around. Even in his sleep. Louis would have to growl at Harry to make him sleep.

Now it felt like, Louis would do anything to just see that fidgety omega back. Louis was not sure why he was here. He was not sure why he was even staying awake when everyone else was sleeping. 

Arthur might wake up in the middle of the night and get confused when he would not find Louis there. He might feel alone. Louis should go back. Harry had so many people around him. Arthur was alone in the flat. Harry was not awake anyway. 

Louis should just leave. Harry had given him an out. He should just take it. He might have to bear the kid’s expenses if it was his but for now, he could leave. He had nine months to contemplate his options. He did not have to stay around Harry through the pregnancy. The process was not his responsibility. The baby was not out of Harry’s womb yet. Louis had no liabilities now. Right?

Louis pushed the phone into his pocket and slid a bit away from Harry. He would leave. He was not needed here. 

As Louis’ left leg touched the floor, there was a coughing sound. Louis had never turned around so fast. 

Harry was squirming on the bed, his chest arching off the bed. Harry whined, his voice low. Louis could see tears oozing out of the omega’s screwed eyes. Harry looked like he was in pain. His legs tried to kick off the cover Niall had pulled up on his figure. 

Louis scrambled over to him, looking frantically over the boy’s body. He was not sure what to do. Louis knew nothing about consoling an unconscious person! He could not see what hurt Harry. He was lost as he searched the boy’s face frantically. 

Harry whimpered again, his hands balling up beside him. 

Louis reached out, pulling Harry’s head almost on his chest. He rubbed Harry’s chest, where he could feel the erratic breathing of the omega. Harry was getting frantic with time. 

Was the oxygen mask not working?

“Niall!” Louis shouted, pulling Harry closer. He was not sure what to do. Louis was not sure why he felt so restless as Harry kept sniffling. The omega was crying in his sleep. Was he in pain?

Louis’ heart skipped some painful beats. He could feel the pain physically.

“Niall, wake up!” He screamed again. 

Niall jumped awake, his eyes unfocused. His blue eyes fell first on Harry and then the omega was leaping up on his feet, waking up Liam in that process. 

“Fuck!” Liam swore, kicking Zayn once to wake him up too. 

“Call Barbs! Do something. He is in pain,” Louis shouted, rubbing Harry’s chest frantically. He was sure that the chest rubbing was doing nothing. But Louis had to do something. He could not just stay immobile. 

Plus, his alpha was getting restless. His own heart was thrumming in his chest. 

“Can we give him painkillers?” He asked as Niall called Barbara. 

“No, you fucker! He is pregnant!” Niall hissed. 

“Hot water. Boil some water, Liam,” Zayn said, coming up to sit on the other side of the omega.

Louis’ first instinct was to growl.

“Why hot water?” he asked instead.

Zayn looked at him for a second, his jaw clenched. Then the brown-eyed alpha looked down at Harry. 

“Because a motherfucker alpha had bitten Harry and had left Rabies in his blood. As per mating cycle, the omega had not returned the bite. So the germs are not balanced in Harry’s blood. And this is the reaction of it.”

Louis could feel his heart stopping for a moment. He could feel his muscles pausing for a second. He looked down at Harry. The Omega had rashes on his face. Red patches across his arms and chest. Louis looked at those marks confusedly. 

Zayn might have followed his eyes because the alpha sighed. 

“He is having those rashes all over his body because of the germs. They are the reason he is in pain. Rabies germs should always be balanced out. That is why a half-mating is injurious. Did he not tell you?”

Louis could not answer. His throat was too shocked to pull out a sound. His eyes were wide as he stared down at the omega. 

Harry was still mewling in pain. 

“He is always in pain but sometimes, it just goes out of his hands. That happened four times in past two weeks,” Zayn whispered, his eyes set on Harry, “Barbs had to give him the lowest dose of painkillers. You should have been there, Louis. You should have heard the cries. We were all scared that he might have a stroke or something. Harry kept vomiting and his nose bled profusely. We were all awake the whole night. Then he fell unconscious around midnight. When he woke up the next day, he made us promise that we won’t tell you anything. So we didn’t. It was hard, okay?” Zayn’s piercing brown eyes fell on Louis, “it was hard seeing you so happy and bubbly with Arthur and knowing that because of you, Harry is struggling. He had to give up the morning job at the café. Morning sickness came early for him. He had taken the afternoon shift. He had taken another job in the ice-cream parlour because he wants to save up for the baby. He is struggling for a mistake you both committed. The fun fact is you don’t give a shit about it.”

Louis had nothing to say. He had no voice to express his feelings. His brain had stopped working as he listened. He would not have believed any of Zayn’s words if Harry was not whimpering in his arms. 

“Barbs said Harry needs to relax. He is in pain and his muscles are shrinking and expanding. We need to give him a hot-water sponge. Wipe his chest and face.” Niall said. 

Liam came into the room right then, a basket full of hot water in his hands. 

“Zayn,” Liam called, “see Harry’s hands. The underside. Is it healed yet?”

Louis frowned. Healed? What is there?

His questions were answered when Zayn pulled Harry’s hands away from his chest and stretched it out. 

Louis bit down on his lips to not gasp.

Harry’s pale skin was blotched with blood drying on the skin. The cuts were oozing some sticky, yellowish fluid. The skin was ripping off at the surface. It looked painful.

“Move away,” Niall’s word broke Louis’ trance. 

He looked at Niall and then down at Harry. Harry squirmed as Louis tried to move. 

“I am staying here,” Louis said, holding his place. 

Niall glared at him, his breathing uneven, “stop this, Louis. Just go back to your flat and leave us alone.” 

Louis tried not to flinch at the omega’s icy tone. He forced himself to glare at Niall. 

“You should ignore me and take care of Harry here, mate! He is seriously ill and I don’t think this is the time for such childish fights!”

Niall opened his mouth to argue but Liam placed the tub beside the bed and sighed. 

“I think Louis is right, babe. Ignore him for now. We need to take care of Harry first. He is in pain.”

That got both Niall and Louis’ attention. Louis looked down at where the oxygen mask was fogging up as Harry breathed through it. His back was arching off the bed time to time as he hissed. 

“Take off his robe, Niall,” Zayn said, appearing from the bathroom with a purple shower-sponge and two small towels. Liam took the towels from his hands and gave one to Niall. 

Niall pulled off the robe from Harry’s pale figure. Louis helped him wordlessly, undressing the omega in his hands. He remembered doing this the last time, Harry’s bright green eyes staring at him intently. Harry had blushed and giggled when Louis had kissed the centre of his chest. 

Now Harry did nothing as Louis’ thumb brushed that same spot. His eyes did not flutter open. His lips did not curl up in a shy smile. Louis’ heart twisted with nostalgia. He had never seen Harry so pliant and definitely not in a good way. 

He slowly placed Harry down on the bed and watched Zayn taking the boy’s left arm to wipe it with a wet washcloth. 

Niall nudged Louis’ hands. When Louis looked at him, Niall was holding a cotton tape and some cream with some cotton balls. 

“Take off the bandage,” he pointed at Harry’s neck, “then wait till we are done. Do the bandage after that.”

Louis nodded, taking the supplies from Niall’s hands. He could not understand the look in Niall’s eyes. The omega looked observantly at him as Louis turned to face the said wound on Harry’s neck. 

His whole body went rigid when he saw the wound Niall was talking about. 

_The bond mark!_

It was covered with some cotton and closed off with the cotton tape. But it was not dry yet. The wound was soaked with blood as Louis could see how the cotton under the tape was moist with the red liquid. It was not healed yet. 

“It is not healed!” Louis whispered. 

“No, it is not,” Niall said, leaning forward to wipe Harry’s collarbone with the wet sponge, “it won’t be healed in nine months. Until the baby is born. Barbs can’t do the operation in the middle of his pregnancy. It is causing him more problems.”

“It is like an open door for viruses and germs to enter his body,” Zayn chimed in, “making him weak. His immunity is breaking because of that open bite mark! It is getting infectious too.”

Liam said nothing, he just wiped Harry’s forehead repeatedly, trying to get the fever under control. 

Louis could not say anything. He forced his hands to stop shaking and reached out to pull the bandage off. The reddish cotton fell off the skin as soon as the tape was off, revealing the bite mark. 

Louis sucked in a breath. His eyes stuck on those two little marks. He could easily recognize the teeth mark as his.

They were as new as Louis remembered two weeks ago! They did not heal. One thing Louis knew about mating was, the bite mark hurt. When it healed, it would not hurt anymore but fresh marks hurt. 

Did it hurt Harry? Well, it was not healed as much as Louis could see. It might hurt.

His trance was broken when Niall reached out to clean the mark with some kind of disinfectant. The smell was raw and the way Harry squirmed, it was clear that it burned. 

Louis gripped the lotion in his hands tightly, trying to ignore the way his alpha clawed at his chest. His alpha was flaring its head up as soon as the mark was revealed. A bond mark was something alphas took very possessively. Louis had always laughed at his friends when they would go all starry-eyed as their omega flaunted their bond marks. He had never understood the attachment. 

Now…

The mark was not healed and it was oozing fresh blood drop by drop. Louis wanted to cover it. His lips were paining as he bit down on them to not growl whenever Niall’s hands touched the mark to wipe it clean. It was not supposed to be touched by anyone else. 

He loved Arthur. He knew that but the bond mark on Harry’s neck was like an animal instinct. The primal need, it was pulling Louis towards the unconscious omega. 

“Now bandage it close,” Niall’s voice brought Louis back in reality. 

Louis nodded stiffly and obeyed. His hands were shaking as he placed some disinfectant-soaked cotton on that mark and sealed it with the tape. 

Niall and Liam were wiping the omega dry by now. Louis tried not to stare at Harry’s stomach. He could not see any changed. There was a baby in Harry. His baby. That stomach would grow in some months. The baby would take shape. 

They would not know Louis’ name. 

That thought was never really appealing. Louis could not stop thinking about it for past weeks. He could not just shake off the thought.

His eyes dragged over the boy’s body. Louis’ eyes lingered on those pudgy love handles. They were not so pudgy anymore. Harry’s ribcage was visible as the boy inhaled or exhaled. His cheeks were not that much chubby either. Dark circles took hold of the underside of Harry’s eyes. Was he not sleeping? Was Harry fine?  
Harry was losing weight.

Was it okay for the baby?

Louis shook his head. It was none of his business. 

He watched Harry quieting down as Niall pulled the duvet up till his chin. Harry sighed in his sleep, finally silent. 

Everyone sighed in relief too, exhausted from anticipation. 

“Let him take some rest,” Niall whispered.

Liam nodded, “yeah. We should take a nap too.”

Zayn dropped to the floor, taking a cushion from Liam. He would just sleep there. 

Niall looked at Louis questioningly. 

Louis rested his back against the headboard and closed his eyes. He ignored the way Niall muttered slangs under his breath.

**+++**

 

The first thing Harry felt when he blinked his eyes open was a force. A force that was pushing everything he had eaten towards his throat. He sat up with a jerk. His chest gave a spasm and he was blindly reaching out for the bin under his bed. He ripped off the oxygen mask and doubled over. 

The sound of him emptying his stomach was unsettling. Harry could feel his forehead throbbing with pain as he heaved everything out of his stomach. He was sure that his face was looking red by now. His forehead throbbed so terribly. There was not much food in his stomach anyway. He had eaten a sandwich and just water. Harry’s eyes watered when he felt his stomach rolling. He dry heaved for some moment and then whimpered when he felt the pain in his whole body.

There was a hand. 

There was a hand that touched his forehead, covering it and holding it tightly. He could feel another hand in the middle of his back, rubbing up and down. It was helping. It was easing out the knots on his spine. His forehead was having a support. It was soothing. Harry sighed, leaning back against the support. 

He sighed, wiping his mouth. He placed the bin down on the floor. He would just clean it when he could find his stability. 

“Thanks, Niall,” he sighed. 

There was no answer. Harry closed his eyes, resting his head on the shoulder behind him.

“Shit, my head hurt, Niall,” he whined, “I have classes after ten. What is the time?”

“Quarter past eight.”

Harry jolted away. His neck craned as he turned to look at the person behind him. 

Shining cerulean blue eyes greet him. Those cheekbones shone under the morning sun. Those hollowed cheeks were covered with rough beard. The thin set of lips was pressed together. 

Harry was dreaming, right? This was not really happening. Right?

Louis was not just sitting behind him with a solemn expression, right?

“Wh-what?” Harry whispered, whacking his brain furiously to find a perfect reason for this illusion. Was he finally losing his mind?

The alpha sighed, looking at Harry with levelled eyes. 

“Stop scooting away. You will fall off the bed,” Louis said. His eyes set on Harry. 

Harry stilled dumbly, his eyes set on Louis. 

“What,” he coughed to find his voice, “what are you… here?”

Louis pressed his lips tightly. His eyes were hard. He pulled Harry closer, against his chest.

“Why did not you tell me?” Louis asked.

Harry frowned at the question. What was he supposed to tell Louis?

Louis might have understood Harry’s puzzled expression. He gestured around the room and at Harry. 

“Why did not you tell me about your sickness and all this?”

Harry furrowed his brows, “why would I? My sickness is not your problem. And I am not that sick. I am fine. Male pregnancies have some difficulties. That is all.”

Louis frowned, “okay…”

They both just stared at each other for some time. Harry was the first one to break the eye contact. He looked around the room to see that Liam was sleeping on the small couch. Zayn was on the floor, a cushion under his head. The left side of the bed was unkempt. Had Louis slept there? Where was Niall?

“Where is Niall?” Harry asked. 

Louis shrugged, “classes. He left early.”

He did not mention the part where the omega had threatened to cut Louis’ balls off if he disturbed Harry by any means. 

Harry nodded, right. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice shaking and hoarse. The vomiting was hard to even watch. 

Louis gestured towards Liam, “I overheard his talk with Niall last night and I had to come and see if you were fine or not.”

Harry nodded, not saying anything. 

Louis opened his mouth to ask Harry about the rashes and that bond-mark when his phone started ringing. 

Louis looked at the pillow where he had left his phone and leaned over to fetch it. 

Harry watched the alpha’s eyes widening as he stared at the screen. 

Louis accepted the call after two more rings and pressed the mobile to his ear. 

“Hey.”

Harry looked down at his lap. He knew that tone. He knew the person who was always at the receiving end of that tone. He stomped down on the sharp pain in his chest and tried to slip away from the bed. He should get ready. He had classes and then he had to go to the café for his shift. 

The first time something like this happened, Harry could not leave the bed for almost two days. Now he was almost used to it. Well, he would still get weak and drag himself from place to place but he was fine. He would survive.

As Harry tried to crawl out of the bed, a hand came forward to hold his wrist. 

Harry looked down at where Louis was holding him and then back at the alpha who was not looking at him at all as he talked over the phone. 

“Yeah. Okay. I will see you then,” Louis said and then cut the call. 

Those eyes found Harry in a matter of second and Harry sucked in a breath. 

Louis looked serious. His expression determined. 

“Can we talk, Harry? Like, really talk?”

Harry frowned. Why was Louis suddenly here? Why was he trying to talk to Harry? Was he showing pity? Harry would hate that. He did not need someone’s sympathy. 

“About what, Louis?” Harry asked, “I thought we were done with talking. You did not believe me and I was fine with it. What do you need to know suddenly?”

Louis looked at him, his expression blank. Harry could not find a tress of thought on that face. Well, Louis was always better with acting anyway.

Then Louis gestured towards Harry’s stomach. Harry placed his hands around it, shielding it from Louis’ eyes. He would fight even Louis if the alpha said something wrong about the baby.

“I want to try,” the alpha mumbled.

Harry frowned, confused, “try what?”

Louis gritted his teeth, “I want to give this pregnancy a shot. You know, see where it goes.”

Harry glared at the alpha, indignant. 

“It is not a crash course that you are going to give it a shot, Louis! What are you talking about? It is a baby we are talking about. It is not like a relationship you want to see where it goes. Are you crazy? What if you don’t like it, would you leave then? Better do it now.”

Louis glared back, “well, cut me some slack, Harry! It is not like I know how to deal with a pregnancy. It is not like I impregnate everyone I meet. You are the first one at that! I have no clue how it works. I am as novice as you are.” He closed his eyes, trying to even out his breathing. Even thinking about being a father gave Louis chills. 

When he opened his eyes, Harry was staring at him. Louis sighed, relaxing his taut shoulders. 

“See, Harry,” he tried to maintain a soft tone for the sake of the omega, “You have to know that I will fuck up. I will. I have no idea how to work this out. I have no idea how I will stay composed knowing that such a huge responsibility is coming my way. I might lose it when the baby will be born but…” he looked at Harry, “I will come around. Every time I leave, I will come around. I promise you that. But I need to know what I am doing. Tell me what you want, Harry.”

Harry blinked, looking at Louis with a confused expression. Then the omega looked down at his lap and shook his head. 

“I don’t need your sympathy, Louis! Please. If you are doing all this because you saw me last night like that then please don’t. I am fine. I will be fine. I don’t want your pity. Plus, I can’t wait for you to come back every time you leave. I might not be here waiting for you anyway.”

Louis wanted to pull his hair out or maybe just shout at the omega in front of him. Harry was stubborn. Louis knew that. Harry was always stubborn but now the omega looked protective. He did not want to let anyone in if they would leave eventually. 

Louis inhaled deeply, trying to calm his anger. One had to stay sane in this conversation. 

“Look, Harry,” Louis reached out to take Harry’s hands in his, ignoring the way Harry flinched, “I know how it looks like. I might have thought the same if I was in your place but can you please let me explain?” When Harry nodded, Louis continued, “I know that seeing you last night had affected my decision. Of course, it did. But I was gearing up to come to meet you for a long time. Trust me, Harry. I could not stop thinking about the baby. I was just not ready. Well, I was scared. I was scared to accept it but I knew, I knew that you would not lie to me. I am sorry.”

Louis stopped to see that Harry was looking down at his feet, his lips trembling. 

Louis left a breath, letting his tensed body relax, “I want to be a part of this. I want to be present in my baby’s life but Harry,” he waited until Harry’s eyes were on him, “I have a life. I can’t just abandon everything to be with you. Do you get it?” God, Louis hoped Harry got it, “I am in love with Arthur. I can’t leave him. I can’t. I want a future with him. I want to start a family with him. I can and I will accept my firstborn child but I can’t…” he did not know how to put it in words and not sound rude. 

Harry just stared at him with those big, round eyes. Louis gestured around them vaguely. 

“I can’t settle down with you, Harry. I can’t forget Arthur to be with you. I…” Louis stopped when he saw the omega’s lips curving up. Harry let out a small giggle then covered his mouth but Louis could still hear Harry’s laugh. He frowned at the omega. 

“What?”

Harry shook his head, “I don’t want a relationship either, Louis. Of course not. I am not trying to tie you down with me or anything. That is such an absurd thought. Nah,” Harry grinned, “we are better off like this.”

Louis tried to find words. Trust him, he did. His eyes scanned the omega in front of him with curiosity. Was it really Harry? 

The Omega would just stare at him when Louis would wake up. Harry’s eyes were always on Louis with something like longing. Those green orbs would glint with a smile if Louis would give him attention. Harry would stare at him like a lost puppy for the better part of the night if they went out with their friends. The Omega would kiss him lingeringly as they moved on this very same bed. Those arms would wound around Louis’ neck persistently.

Louis tried to understand all that and match it with the omega sitting in front of him. 

He could not. 

Harry was not looking at him like that. His eyes were not hooded. They were not ogling him. Those pale cheeks were not heating up as Louis stared at him. Harry was not that meek omega anymore. 

Louis shook his head, right, he was fine with it. He was completely fine with the change. 

He smiled at Harry, “we are settled then. It was scaring the shit out of me as I kept over thinking.”

Harry shook his head with a grin, “don’t. I am fine with you staying around as the baby’s father. I don’t want anything else. That would be all. You have your life, Louis. I would never want you to just give up your dreams and goals to be with me. That would be really stupid of me. Why would I do that?”

_“I tolerated everything you put me through because I love you.”_

Louis shook off that thought. His lips curved on a smile. His fear was finally ebbing off. Harry was not trying to rope him in a relationship. Thank God!

“Yeah, I mean, I am relieved that we talked about that point.” He said instead. 

Harry nodded, “what else? Do you have any questions left? Ask away.”

Louis had never seen the omega so bold before. Harry was always shy around him. He would not talk a lot. Louis was not sure if it was the pregnancy hormones.

“Well, what about when the baby is born?”

He watched the smile wiping off Harry’s face. Those green eyes were losing the glint. 

“What about then?” Harry asked, his tone hesitant. 

Louis gestured towards the boy’s tummy, “Would you live with Niall here? How do I fit in that situation?”

Harry looked down, shaking his head, “I will not be around.”

Louis frowned. What?

“What do you mean?”

Harry did not match his eyes, “I will not be around a lot when the baby will be here. I might leave or something.”

Louis was lost. He could not find the right words. 

“So, you are trying to tell me that you will abandon the baby and leave? Why? Where are you going to be? The baby might need you, you know?”

Louis watched Harry’s eyes welling up, his lips trembling. Harry played with his fingers as his breathing escalated.

“I don’t want to talk about the future, okay?” those moist green eyes fell on Louis, “let’s not talk about after the childbirth. I still have nine months for that. We will come up with something.”

But Louis was not satisfied. He was confused. 

“Where are you going to go anyway? Are you seriously trying to impose every responsibility on me and run?”

Harry shook his head, “I might have a new family or some work somewhere else, Louis. I don’t know, okay? Let’s not talk about that.” he looked at the clock over his head and sighed, “I think you should leave. I will get ready for my own classes too. We will talk later. We have a lot to discuss. Let’s not do it all at once. You should go.”

_“Stay a bit longer, Louis. Would you like some tea? Breakfast? I can make you some eggs.”_

Louis shook his head, pulling himself out of that past. 

“Will you be fine?” Louis asked, “You were pretty ill last night.”

Harry shook his head, pulling out his phone. 

“I am used to it now. I am fine.”

Louis had so many questions. He wanted to seek the answers but he could see how Harry slumped down on the pillow. He was not ready. Yeah, they would talk later.

“Okay. I will see you soon, Harry.” Louis said, sliding off the bed. 

“Can you take Liam and Zayn with you?” Harry asked, “I want to be alone for a moment.”

Louis nodded, walking around the bed to wake up Liam and Zayn.

**+++**

 

Harry closed the door behind Louis, Liam and Zayn. Their worried enquiries were still buzzing in his ears. 

As he slumped down on the sofa in the hall, his eyes closed. 

Louis came around. He had agreed to be there for the baby. He would be there if Harry left. 

His eyes welled up as he caressed his stomach, “I did not want to forgive your father so soon, little one. He had hurt your papa but I had to think about you. You need him, right? If I leave, you will have him now. Your dad will be there to take care of you now. I promise you, I will make this work. You will have a family, little one. You might have a papa too if…” _Arthur accepted the baby._

Harry wiped his eyes. He was ready to close off his heart and just ignore his feelings for Louis. He was ready to see Louis with Arthur. Well, why would not he be? He loved Louis. He wanted to see Louis happy. If Arthur made him happy then Harry had no issues with it. Not now anyway.

At first, Harry was bitter about Arthur. He felt like the omega was taking away his alpha. But now?

Harry was here for just nine months. He was never going to get the happily ever after. He should not wait for someone else when his own life was not waiting for him anymore. 

Harry was ready to fight for Louis and his love for the alpha but now?

Now he had given up. What would happen if he actually got Louis? He was leaving anyway. Louis should not be heartbroken. Why would he fight for nothing? He did not have time.

He would just enjoy the time he had. Not much but he would make it the best nine months of his life. 

No more tears.

Harry had decided. Louis would just be the father of his pup from now on. He would not ruin his baby’s future by letting his feelings get the best of him.

**+++**

 

The day went with Arthur.

Louis came back to a furious omega and he loved every bit of it. He loved how demanding Arthur was and he loved how the omega wanted him to go shopping with him. 

Louis took the omega around the city. They roamed around like a couple. Arthur was always holding Louis’ hands and Louis was doing everything in his power to not just go down on his knees and ask the omega out. 

Louis had sent Jay a message saying that he had agreed to accept the baby and Jay was proud of him. She had called him to tell him how proud she was. She wanted to meet Harry but Louis had to postpone it. He was not ready for that yet. 

Louis was not sure about his duties either. Harry had told him nothing about that. 

“Isn’t that Dylan with Harry?” 

Arthur’s words broke Louis’ trance. 

Louis followed Arthur’s eyes. 

Dylan was laughing with his head thrown back. Louis watched how he pulled Harry closer with their joined hands. Harry went easily, laughing with his face buried on the alpha’s bicep. Those curls flopped around as Harry giggled. 

The omega was wearing a soft red sweater with loose jeans. His hair was pulled up in a bun, some strands had escaped, framing Harry’s face. Harry looked cuddly and soft. So soft. 

Dylan shook his head when Harry looked up at him, about to say something. Harry pouted, saying something anyway. Dylan laughed again, flicking Harry’s forehead. Harry rubbed his forehead with mock offence, pouting. His sweater paws rubbed the skin lightly.

“I didn’t know they are dating!” Arthur said; his eyes trained on them. 

Louis watched how Dylan was carrying a lot of bags and Harry was just holding an ice-cream. 

“Harry,” Arthur called, making Louis jump. 

“Why are you calling them?” Louis hissed. He was not really feeling like talking to them. 

Arthur shrugged, “they are our friends? Good enough reason.”

Harry was the first to look at their direction. The omega’s eyes widened and then Dylan was pulling him towards Arthur and Louis.

“Hey,” Dylan said, smiling. He hugged Arthur as Harry and Louis stood there, staring at each other. 

“Hey, long time,” Arthur said to Dylan, pulling out to look at Harry, “hey, Harry. How are you?”

Harry smiled, “I am fine, Arthur. How are you doing? Are you fine?”

Louis could see the concern in those eyes for Arthur. 

Arthur nodded, “I am absolutely fine. Louis here takes good care of me.”

Louis squirmed when three pairs of eyes fell on him. 

Harry chuckled lightly, “of course he does.” He turned to face Arthur, “he really cares for you. Like, genuinely.”

Arthur laughed, shaking his head, “what are you two up to?”

Dylan nodded towards the ice-cream in Harry’s hand, “this boy here had his first ever craving this evening. I had to take him to the ice-cream parlour.”

Louis felt like someone was sprinkling water on the hot oil and those drops of oil were falling on his skin. Anger flared through his chest. It was his baby Harry was getting cravings for!

Harry shoved Dylan, “it is not the first time, you dumb!” he turned towards Arthur with a grin, “I got my first cravings last week. I wanted to have mint sauce sandwiches. Can you imagine? I hate mint normally.” 

Arthur laughed with Harry. 

Louis noticed the way Dylan was looking at Harry, all soft eyes and a huge smile. He knew that smile. He knew that look. Louis knew that soft expression. 

Dylan liked Harry. 

Louis dug his toes in his shoes, staring at Harry instead. 

Harry and Arthur were still talking. 

“Where are you two going?” Dylan asked next, addressing Louis. 

Louis tried not to ignore the boy because of the way Harry was looking at him, all wide eyes and a huge smile.

“We are going to the restaurant on the rooftop.” He answered. 

Harry grinned, “Hey. We are going there too.”

Arthur laughed, “Great. Let’s go then.”

Louis wanted to choke Arthur for the first time. Well, not in a good way.

**+++**

They sat down on a table that was looking over the mall. Arthur and Dylan faced each other and Harry was facing Louis.

“How is the pregnancy going, Harry?” Arthur asked, leaning forward. 

Louis looked at Arthur. He tried to understand the omega. Why was he suddenly so sweet to Harry? Why was he so interested suddenly? Was it because Arthur knew that the baby was Louis’?

Harry shook his head, “what can I say, Arthur? It is exhausting sometimes. I want to give up most of the time.” Louis jumped to look at Harry in disbelief, “but then… I can’t. I really can’t give up. So, I think it is fine. We are fine.”

Dylan placed his left hand on Harry’s thigh, “everything will be fine.”

Harry looked up at Dylan, his eyes shining glossily when he nodded.

“Look at you two!” Arthur cooed, breaking their eye-contact, “all loved up.”

Harry turned to face Arthur with wide eyes, Dylan looked just the same. 

“W-what?” Dylan asked, his eyes sceptic. 

“Come on, don’t hide it from us.” Arthur rolled his eyes, smirking. 

Harry bit his lips, sighing, “Shut up!”

Louis understood then. 

That was the reason Harry was not trying to rope him down in some relationship. Dylan was the reason behind Harry’s changed behaviour. 

Harry had moved on. 

Louis smiled crookedly. Was it even love if he moved on so soon? Here Louis was, still stuck on Arthur.

Harry groaned, “Shit.”

Louis was the first one to reach out but Dylan caught Harry’s hand first. 

“What happened?” the alpha asked. 

Harry shook his head, “I need to pee. I am peeing so much nowadays.”

Everyone laughed around the table. Well, not Louis. He watched Harry leave. 

“Let’s order. Yeah?” Arthur said, pulling the menu towards him. Dylan followed suit, skimming through the list.

Louis coughed in his hand, “um… I need to wash my hands. Excuse me.”

Arthur smiled, nodding. Dylan nodded, not looking up from the menu. Louis walked away from the table as fast as he could.

**+++**

Finding the washroom was easy. Louis washed his already clean hands and wiped it off with some paper towels. He heard the flush of a toilet and turned around.  
Harry came out of one cubicle while doing his fly. 

“Hey,” he said when he looked up and saw Louis. 

Louis said nothing. He nodded and watched Harry washing his hands. 

“So how does it feel to love someone who loves you back?” Louis asked, his hip resting against the counter and his ankles crossed. 

Harry frowned, looking at him. 

“What?”

Louis shrugged, gesturing towards Harry indistinctly. 

“You are dating Dylan. So, just want to know.”

Harry’s confused face eased out. His expression hardened. The omega stood up tautly.

“I am dating Dylan.” He said it coolly, “What gave you that impression?”

Louis laughed, “Come on, Harry. No need to hide it, yeah? I understand. I mean,” he shrugged, “it is not like I would ever date you. I am happy that you moved on from your juvenile crush.”

Harry laughed, a short one, “crush? Wow!”

Louis watched the omega. Harry watched back. Then he shook his head, smiling. 

“We should go back. They might be waiting for us.” Harry said, trying to walk past Louis. 

Louis reached out to hold Harry’s wrist, stopping him on his track. When Harry’s eyes found him, Louis maintained the contact. 

“You don’t move on so quickly if you love someone, Harry. You don’t even know what love feels like.”

Harry smiled, a rueful one, “I guess so. Yeah. I don’t know what love feels like,” those green eyes sharpened as Harry fixed Louis with a look, “but I know what unrequited love feels like.”

With that Harry was trying to shake off Louis’ grip on his wrist, be free. Louis was not ready though. 

“How is it unrequited if he looks at you like that?” Louis asked, his heart beating fast in his chest. 

Harry glared at him now, “I thought we made progress. What are you doing?”

Louis’ left arm roped Harry’s waist and Louis was not sure why he was doing it. He leaned closer to the omega, their breath hitching at the same time. 

It was like muscle memory. Their bodies knew each other so well. 

“We will. Just tell me that you have moved on,” Louis whispered against Harry’s lips, his eyes set on those green orbs. 

Harry pressed his hands against Louis’ chest, trying to push him off but Louis was holding him tightly against his body. Harry did not success. 

“I will tell you that when I do,” Harry whispered, “trust me, Louis. I am trying.”

“You already did,” Louis hissed. He was not sure why was he doing it. Harry could laugh at him and point out what a hypocrite he was. Harry could ask him why it mattered. Harry could have told him that loving him was a mistake but the omega did none of that. 

“I didn’t,” Harry said instead. 

Louis shook his head, “I don’t care. I don’t care if you have moved on or not but you are having my baby. I want you to call me if you get any cravings from now on.”

Harry frowned, “cravings? You are doing all this because I called Dylan for my cravings?”

Louis nodded, jaw clenched, “yes,” he said, unashamed, “I don’t want to miss anything. You will call me if you want something. Anything.”

Harry shook his head, “I can’t just simply call you at the middle of the night to attend to my cravings, Louis. That sounds odd. What if you are busy and I am disturbing you?”

Louis shook his head, “you won’t. I told you, Harry. I don’t like doing things halfway. I am in this for everything. I want to be a part of everything. I want to know what your cravings are. I want to know when you get the weirdest craving of the time. I will be there. Just call me next time.”

Harry stared at him for a moment and then sighed, “I am not sure, Louis. I got my first cravings in the middle of the night. I can’t simply ring you then.”

Louis tried not to growl, “you did call Dylan. Right?”

Harry nodded, looking down at his shoes, “he is my friend.”

“Call me the next time, Harry. I mean it,” Louis said, freeing Harry from his hold, “I want to be there through everything. I don’t care about the time.”

Harry said nothing. He just looked at Louis and then nodded. 

“Can we leave now?” he asked. 

Louis nodded, gesturing for Harry to follow him. 

“Louis?”

Louis turned to face the omega. Harry smiled at him. 

“You and Arthur look really good together.”

With that, Harry was walking past him. Louis watched him joining their table. 

Louis was not sure what to feel when Dylan welcomed Harry with an open arm. Harry sat down easily, completely fine with the way Dylan draped his arm around his shoulder. 

Oh, it was going to be a long evening.

**+++**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might end it sooner than expected. Yeah. Let's see. 
> 
> How was it? It is just gearing up though. Let's see where it goes. 
> 
> Please leave comments behind. Kudos too if you did not. ;)


	5. Chapter - 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am late but I am not sorry. AO3 was not working. Bloody hell. It was going straight to draft and I had to edit it so many times because all lines were sticking together with no space in-between.   
> I am pissed, really!  
> Anyway, go on. Give it a read. Thank you.

Louis cursed under his breath when his phone started ringing. His eyes fluttered open to see that the device was lighting up the room with a soft glow as someone called. 

He tried to close his eyes, going back to sleep. The phone went silent after three more rings. Why was someone calling him in the middle of the night? He was sleeping, God damn it!

Louis’ eyes flung open as soon as he realized that he had set a particular baby voice as the ringtone for someone.

Harry. 

Harry was calling him. In the middle of the night. 

Louis snatched the phone from the bedside table and dialled the number. His fingers rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he waited for Harry to pick up. 

“I want to go to the Starbucks.”

Louis blinked.

He blinked some more, staring at the white wall in front of him. 

What?

“What?”

Harry sighed from the other side. 

“I want to go to the Starbucks.”

Louis closed his eyes, trying to regulate his breathing, “now? It is bloody three in the morning, Harry!”

Harry sighed again, “There is a drive-through in the town, you know?”

Louis gritted his teeth, “it is almost out of the town, Harry! Do you really want to drive there now?”

There was silence for a minute. Louis pressed the phone closer to his ear and tried to listen. 

“You don’t need to go, Louis. I just informed you as you asked me to. Good night.”

Louis’ eyes widened as he looked down at his phone. The line went dead as Harry hung up.

“You motherfucker!” Louis growled, sliding off the bed. He pulled out his wallet and the car keys. 

Louis pulled on a beanie and a coat. As he tumbled out of his room, he called the number again. 

“What?” Harry asked, bored.

“Just don’t hang up on me, ever!” Louis snarled, “Get ready. I will pick you up.”

There was no sound as Harry hung up again. 

Louis looked down at his mobile disbelievingly. 

Was it really Harry? What with the attitude? Louis would like to spank some respect in that omega but that was out of the question now. 

Louis closed the door of their flat behind him and hurried down the stairs. His hands shoved everything in his pockets except the car-keys. He would normally cringe at the loud sound his boots made but he was just running down the stairs at that point. He hoped his neighbours were deep sleepers. 

As he pulled open the main door of the building, the cold breeze of June welcomed him. Louis pulled the coat tightly around him and sighed. It was not that cold but he was wrapped in quilts and blankets, so the jacket was not really doing the job perfectly. He had to walk around the block to get his car. Louis stepped forward hurriedly. He wanted to get some sleep after the rendezvous. The world cup was going on and his schedule was messed up anyway for that reason. He was late for classes and he was not getting as much sleep as he would like to get. To top it all, he had Harry to look after now. 

Louis pulled his car out of the parking and sped up. He wanted to reach there as fast as he could.

**\---**

 

Harry was leaning against his building when Louis reached there. Louis noticed that the omega was almost drooping as his head lulled back and forth. He was sleepy too. 

Harry was wearing a grey hoodie. He was in his cotton track-pants. Louis stopped the car just in front of the pavement and Harry looked up. 

Louis could see how the omega stared at the car and then shook his head. He pushed away from the wall and slowly walked up to the car and opened the door. Harry sat down with a heavy sigh and Louis noticed the smell that filled the car. Something sweet and rich. Louis inhaled through his nose, closing his eyes. He liked the smell. It was engulfing Louis, like a warm blanket.

“New perfume?” he asked as he started to drive. 

Harry was silent for a moment and when Louis glanced at the omega, Harry was watching the road ahead.

“No.” 

Louis frowned. Harry was not really a rambling kind of a person but he used to talk a lot. He used to blabber in his slow drawl and tap Louis’ shoulder to get his attention. When Louis would turn to him, Harry would light up and his dimple would pop. He would start gesturing wildly with his hands and rattle some more. Louis had to glare at him for the omega to know that he needed to shut up. 

Louis did not know which version of Harry was better.

“No?” Louis asked, “I can literally smell you, you know? Sweet and something rich.”

Harry curled in on himself and faced the window, “pregnant omegas smell like that. Sorry if it is bothering you. You can open the window.”

Louis tried to grasp the words. 

Pregnant omegas smelt like wasted milk or something burnt. He knew. He was there when his mother was pregnant. He was around when one of his cousins was pregnant. They did not smell good. He knew. But…

Harry smelt divinely floral. Feminine. Like a fresh batch of lilacs were placed on Louis’ passenger seat. Louis was not ready to share that smell with the outer world. He did not say anything but did not open the windows either. 

As they drove, Louis could not help but take some glances at the omega. 

Harry was rubbing his eyes as he stared out at the darkness. His face was lighting up as they passed some streetlights. Harry would scrunch up his nose and close his eyes if the light fell directly on his face. He was yawning in his hands as they went. His face looked soft, tender. Those lips were parted as Harry breathed. Those eyelashes were making patterns on his pale skin. Louis was not sure what was so mesmerizing about him, the pale skin or those reddish lips or that pointed nose or the way Harry scrunched up his face like he was about to sneeze. 

Louis looked down to see that Harry was wearing green, felted slippers. His toes were curled inwards. He looked cosy in the passenger seat. 

“I don’t like calling you in the middle of the night,” Harry mumbled in the silence of the car. His eyes were still focused on the window. 

They had to drive for at least ten minutes more to reach the Starbucks. Louis hoped it was open.

“Why?” 

Harry shrugged, “I don’t know if you are alone or not. What if you have company and I am disturbing and it feels stupid, Louis.” Those green eyes finally turned to fall on Louis, “I can go there by myself. I don’t need to pull you out of your bed every time I get a craving.”

Louis held the stirring wheel tightly in his hands, “so it is fine to wake up Dylan then?”

Harry sighed, “I did not wake him up last time. I would not! I can go alone. I am not dependent on any of you.”

Louis’ heart hammered in his chest as he looked at the road in front of them.

The roads were empty at that time of the night. Louis could see no one as they drove through the town. He would pass some dark alleys and see some people walking around but half of them looked dangerous. Some were drunk and some were doing stuff on the pavement. Louis could see how the town was sleeping peacefully except for some nocturnal beings. He tried to imagine Harry walking down the streets at the middle of the night. Smelling like that!

“No,” he said, making Harry jump, “you will not leave the flat alone. You will call me whenever you want to go somewhere and I will be there. You will not leave alone.”

When no reply came from Harry, Louis risked a look at the omega. Harry was watching him. 

“You are pregnant, Harry. Anything can happen to you. You are weak and ill. You smell so good.” 

Louis stopped; he did not want to say that.

“To you.”

Louis turned to see that Harry was resting his head on the backrest and his eyes were closed again. 

“What?” the alpha asked, confused.

Harry exhaled, “I smell good to only you. Biology.” He faced Louis with a blank expression and shrugged, “you are the father of the pup. You will find the smell luring. Not everyone. To others, I smell like…”

“Wasted milk?” Louis asked. 

Harry nodded, “yeah. Something like that.”

Louis was not sure what to say to that. He was not sure about the nagging feeling in his stomach.

They both drove in silence after that. 

Louis was expecting Harry to tell him that this was a proof that the baby was Louis’ and all that but Harry said noting. Louis was keeping his silence too. 

He was not sure what to say anyway.

**\---**

Harry did not tell Louis that, _“see! It proves that the baby is yours.”_

He did not. Louis was here. He had accepted the baby. Harry did not need to rub the salt on his wound. He was better than that.

He tried to take a nap as the car sped through the roads. Harry could feel his stomach rolling as they went. The gum was not successfully washing away the stale taste his mouth had after the vomiting. Harry was trying not to think about the blood that was coming out of his mouth every time he vomited. Barbara had said that it was because of the Rabies in his blood. She had assured him that the baby was fine. It was not damaging the baby but Harry was losing blood. It would cause brain damage when the due date came and Harry might go into coma. That would be his final strike. Because of the blood loss, Harry might not be able to fight through the coma and might not come back to senses. That was what Barbara had said to him after his relentless nagging.

His head was light almost every day. He had fainted twice that day and his hands were shaking still. He was feeling like vomiting whenever he opened his eyes.

Harry inhaled. His nostrils dragging in the scent of the alpha. 

Louis’ scent was like ointment on his deep cut. It was burning in his lungs but at the same time, it was healing his heart. Harry was finally at ease. Harry would never understand why Louis mattered so much to him but his body was astonishingly attuned with the alpha’s. His omega would feel at ease whenever the alpha would be around. Harry would feel peaceful when Louis was there. He would feel safe as he heard the alpha breathing beside him. 

Was it biology that Harry wanted to see the alpha as soon as he came out of the bathroom after vomiting?

Was it biology that Harry wanted the alpha to hold him when he had to take four injections back to back on his hands?

Was it biology that he would close his eyes and try to imagine Louis as the pain in his abdomen would intensify?

Harry was not sure. He was not sure of anything but he wanted to see Louis. He was ashamed to accept that. Hell, he was ashamed to even look at the alpha but what could he do?

“Just nine months,” Harry said, “bear me for just nine months. I won’t bother you after that.”

When he looked at Louis, the alpha was frowning. 

“You will bother me more after nine months. After the baby’s arrival, you will run me miles for her or his needs and your own tantrums. You will be pissed most of the time.” Louis said, a half smile on his face. 

Harry could feel the sinking feeling in his chest. He blinked fast to wipe away the tears. His teeth bit down on his tongue. 

“Nah, I will leave you alone. I promise.”

Louis said nothing this time. He just shrugged with a smirk. 

He did not believe Harry.

Well, he would see when Harry would not come back from the OT. 

Harry let out a shaky breath and closed his eyes. 

Nap. Take a nap, Harry.

**\---**

 

Louis blinked. 

He blinked and then twisted his nose as Harry moaned again. 

He wanted to vomit now. 

“Seriously?” he asked, disgusted, confused, disbelieving. 

When Harry glanced at him, Louis pointed at Harry’s hands. 

“Pickles with Strawberry Frappuccino?” 

Harry was dipping the pickle into the Frappuccino and then biting down on it. Then the omega would moan as he chewed. 

Louis wanted to vomit. 

Harry shrugged, “blame your pup.”

It felt like someone was gliding a finger over Louis’ stomach. The nail was leaving behind goose-bumps as it touched the skin. Louis could feel his lips tugging upwards. 

His pup. 

He was going to have someone solely his. He was going to be a father. His first baby was almost here. 

Louis looked at Harry’s flat stomach and resisted the urge to touch it. That would look creepy. Right?

At the same time, the thought of having a baby scared the shit out of Louis. His inside churned as he thought of a little one who would depend on him completely. He had to be responsible and take the baby’s responsibility.

Louis shook his head, trying to pull himself out of those thoughts.

They were sitting on the bonnet of the car. Harry sat cross-legged and his eyes were just focused on the Frappuccino. 

Louis watched him for a moment, noticing how Harry would dip the pickle into the Frappuccino and take a bite. Louis would twist his nose every time. 

The cold breeze was playing with Harry’s curls. They were falling on Harry’s eyes and curling up around the omega’s ears. Louis saw how the headband was not enough to hold back those wild curls. 

Harry was looking around them now. Louis was not sure where to look so he was staring at the omega. 

When Harry’s eyes fell on him, Louis coughed, looking away. 

“Finish it fast. We need to go back. I want to have some sleep before the day actually starts,” Louis ordered, his eyes focused ahead.

“I am not leaving now. You go,” came Harry’s reply.

When Louis turned back to see, the Omega was looking at the sky. 

“What do you mean by you are not going?” Louis asked, irritated.

Harry gestured towards the sky, “the sun is coming up, Louis. I want to see the sunrise.”

Louis wanted to argue, he was ready with reasons to defend himself when Harry leaned back, smiling. 

“I have always loved the sunrise. It is like a new hope. A new beginning. Have you ever watched the sun slowly taking over the sky? It looks like; nothing was there before the sun arrived. Like, those stars are not really relevant anymore. Sun takes over everything and chases away every illusion. It brings out life. It shines brighter than anything does. I love watching how the night gives in to the sun. I love how the moon hides because of the sun. How darkness always loses in front of the light. It is amazing.”

Louis was not sure what to say. He had no words. He was not really that into sceneries and all that. He had never really pondered over such things. Harry looked fascinated as he talked. 

“I have never really watched the sunrise. It is almost a myth to me,” Louis confessed.

Wide green eyes fell on him. Harry looked shocked and wounded. Like, it was a personal insult. 

“What?” he asked, indignant, “you have never watched the sunrise?” When Louis shook his head in denial, Harry sat up straighter and glared at Louis with determination, “we are watching it now. No comments.”

Louis stayed silent. He let Harry ramble more about the sunrise and listened to him. He tried to match that Harry with the one he knew for almost two years. Noting really matched but at the same time, nothing really felt new. Harry was always passionate. In bed and now in his hobbies. Louis smiled when Harry looked down at his empty container. He shook his head when Harry licked his finger and sighed happily. 

Louis hopped down from the bonnet and reached out to hold Harry’s hand. Harry slid down and brushed his pants. 

As Louis threw the cups and used tissues in the dustbin, Harry went and buckled himself for the journey. 

Louis put on the seatbelt and started the car.

“Where do we need to go to watch the sunrise?”

Harry pointed towards the corner of the glass, “the park. There.”

Louis saw the park at a distance and nodded, speeding up. The park was really not that far away. Louis could see the trees around the ground. He glanced at Harry and the omega’s eyes were set on the window. Again.

**\---**

Louis was never really a morning person. He hated waking up before at least nine in the morning. He could stay awake until sunrise but could not wake up at the crack of the morning. 

So it was the first time he was waiting for the sun to raise not the other way around. 

The park had a lake, around the lake there were benches. Louis watched how the darkness of the night was fading away. The moon was not glowing as brightly as before. Louis could feel the crisp morning breeze around him. His eyes scanned the sky to see that stars were already starting to hide under the veil of clouds.

He was leaning against the windscreen and staring forward. He could feel the soft fabric of Harry’s hoodie beside him. Louis craned his neck sideways to see that Harry was staring up towards the sky, his lips tugged upwards. A sudden gust of wind blew through those curls, making them flare all over the windscreen. Harry closed his eyes, smiling to himself. He looked peaceful, in a bubble. Louis watched how the omega’s lips opened as he breathed through his mouth. His green eyes shone under the sky full of stars as he opened them again. His hair was a mess but Harry still managed to look ethereal. 

“The birds are leaving their nests already, Louis. See,” Harry whispered, his eyes bright with wonder. 

Louis turned to see that the trees around the park were waking up with chatter-patter. Mostly pigeons and parrots were coming out from their nests but Louis could see some morning-doves too. They were sitting down on the branches, cleaning their feathers. Their chitchat filled the quiet atmosphere. 

The town was waking up and…

Louis was mesmerized. 

He jumped when Harry’s hand touched his, squeezing.

“Look at the horizon,” Harry whispered.

Louis did and his heart thrummed in his chest.

The clouds looked gloomy as the darkness around the horizon started fading. Everything else was still hiding under darkness but a horizontal line of orange was spreading over the horizon, slowly spreading light throughout the sky. Louis literally heard the first flapping sound of a bird setting off towards the source of the light. He heard the sigh of his companion and squeezed their joined hands. Harry squeezed right back. 

Slowly but surely the darkness was ebbing off. Louis could see the sun coming up. 

Red. It was so red. Like a fireball at the horizon as it peeked through the clouds. 

“It is so red!” Louis murmured, awed. 

“Yeah,” Harry answered in a hushed tone, “sun hates waking up too. Like you.”

Louis turned to see that Harry was smiling at the sun, his eyes bright with the hues. 

“I don’t hate waking up in the morning,” Louis said, his eyes set on his companion now. 

Harry rolled his eyes, smiling, “sure. Whatever.”

Harry knew. Louis realized with a start. Obviously, Harry knew. He would nuzzle against Louis’ neck and murmur in his ears to wake him up. Louis would pull him closer and they would drift off again. With Harry pressed against Louis’ neck with a smile on both of their faces.

Louis did not fight anymore. He pinched Harry’s side and turned back to see that the sun was already up, not hiding anymore. The sky was clearing up now. Louis turned his head to see that the moon was still there, fading under the sun’s glow.

It was like the earth was waking up with the sun. Louis heard the first hooter of the university, announcing the first hour of the day. He could hear the morning walkers’ voices around him as they came in the park to jog or exercise. He could hear street dogs howling, welcoming the lord of the morning. 

It was like watching the birth of a new day. A new hope. It was refreshing. 

“Good morning.”

He turned to see that Harry was smiling at him. 

Louis smiled back, “good morning.”

Harry sighed, “I know it was nothing really special but I had something in mind and I thought it would be better if I proposed it like this.”

Louis did not know what Harry meant but he turned his body towards the omega to give him his complete attention. 

Harry sat up straighter and exhaled, looking at Louis. 

“We have gone through a lot, Louis,” he started, “like the night, we had our dark times. We had our fights; we shouted at each other, we ignored each other and what not? I think we went through a lot so it is time that we see the day. Right?”

Louis was not sure how to answer. He was not sure about Harry’s intention. He just stared at the omega. 

Harry sighed, “how about we start anew this time, Louis?” He thrust his right hand forward with a huge smile, “friends?”

Louis looked down at Harry’s hand and then back at Harry’s face. His face might have shown the confusion he was feeling because Harry started explaining again. 

“No more love confessions,” Harry could not hide the blush this time, “no more awkward ex-type things. No more starry-eyed looks from me. No more whiny pleas for you to stay and no more lovey-dovey feelings and all. Yeah? Let’s be friends. Like, buddies. Yeah?” those dimples were visible this time, “will you be my friend, Louis?”

Louis could feel his lips curving upwards as he grasped Harry’s hand in his. It was like a new beginning and Louis wanted to try. For the sake of his child and for his own sanity, he wanted to work that friendship out. He would be a fool if he did not want that. 

“Yeah. We can be friends.” 

They both smiled at each other after that. When they turned back to face the sun, it was shining as brightly as they were.

**\----**

Nine weeks had passed since then and Louis was never this happy.

He did not know that Harry could be such an amazing friend. He did not know that they would set off like a house on fire. He did not know that they would be called the dream team. Niall hated Louis’ guts, he did not like the alpha but for the sake of Harry, he was trying and Louis would take it. 

Liam and Zayn were finally at ease around them. They loved both of them and they were now happy to see the newfound friendship. 

Dylan had warned Louis that if he did something wrong like fucked off when the responsibilities got bigger, he would kill Louis but the alpha was anyway fine with Louis being around. Louis did not care if Dylan accepted him or not. 

Arthur did not really say anything. He had just pursed his lips and told Louis all the best. He was not really open about this and Louis did not really care. He was happy and Harry was just a friend. 

There were hurdles. Yes. Harry was ill almost all the time. He would faint and Louis would fret. Harry vomited more than normal. When Louis had pointed it out, Harry had just laughed it off. He would make some lame joke and Louis would be distracted. 

Louis was learning a lot of things about Harry. He was enjoying many facts about Harry. 

Harry loved The Notebook, which, Louis had to make fun of. Harry loved cooking. He could make a full course for dinner and Louis was amazed. Harry was so lame with jokes but Louis would laugh. Not at the jokes but at Harry but it was worth it when the omega would beam at him. 

Harry hated packed foods so he would insist Louis to eat fresh veggies and Louis would vehemently oppose to that but at the end of the day, he would find himself with a basket full of green shit. 

Time was running out of their hands like sand slipping out of someone’s fist.

Today they were going for the first ultrasound and Louis was scared shitless. 

He had to meet Arthur after that. They had a study meeting fixed and Louis did not want to miss it.

But he was more excited about the ultrasound. They would come to know the due date today. 

Louis hoped the baby was fine. In these nine weeks, he had come to terms with the fatherhood fear and he was now just excited. Yes, there were moments where he would just be scared but otherwise, he was happy and really looking forward to meeting the new member of his family.

Plus, Harry was such an amazing omega to share the baby with. He was always composed whenever Louis would freak out. He would calm Louis down. 

Louis just did not know what to do when Harry would go through one of those dreadful fainting nights. He would vomit blood and that scared Louis to his core. He felt like Niall knew something but the omega was not really a fan of Louis so he would not tell anything. 

Louis would see the bond mark from time to time. When Harry would abstractedly scratch the side of his neck or his scarf would be misplaced. 

The wound was still fresh and according to the research Louis did on it, it still hurt. Louis felt like shit whenever he would see blood oozing out of the bite. Harry would laugh it off but Louis could not get over the guilt he felt. 

He hoped that Harry was fine. He wished nothing more. 

Please, be fine, Harry.

**\---**

 

“Louis has a date,” Harry sang in a playful tone as soon as he was inside the car. 

Louis looked at the omega in confusion and started the car. 

“I have a date? What?”

Harry was buckling himself and let out a dramatic sigh as Louis asked the question. Louis bit down on his lips to hide his smile. Harry could be dramatic if he wanted. That was an endearing sight. Louis would never admit it verbally. 

“You are meeting Arthur for study. Right?” Harry asked, “That is a date. Count that one, Lou.”

Lou. 

Harry called him Lou. 

“No, Haz,” Louis deadpanned, “it is just a study night. Both of us need to complete a project and our topics are the same so we have decided to do it together.”

From his peripheral view, Louis saw Harry pulling out a rubber-band from his pocket and tying his curls up in a bun. The omega was always sweaty nowadays. He watched Harry fussing with the bun and then scratching his nape with irritation. Louis noticed some rash on his nape, reddish marks littering the skin. 

Guilt resurfaced in Louis’ mind and his eyes snapped back to the front. It was his doing. Was not it?

“It is a date, Lou,” Harry insisted, “treat it like one. See,” he turned his body towards Louis on his seat, “make him dinner, okay? Ask him to stay the night. When he is done with his project, ask him if he needs something or not. Woo him, you idiot!”

Louis laughed, shaking his head, “are you serious? He lives just two blocks away from me. Why would he stay the night?”

Harry punched Louis’ shoulder, “because as an omega he would like that. You two can talk,” Louis saw how Harry slid down a bit to rest his body against the backrest and his eyes went to the sky with a dreamy smile on his lips, “the whole night. He would tell you about his day and pay attention, okay? He might ask you about yours. Answer him sincerely. Don’t give a vague answer. For an omega, it is important to know about the alpha’s whereabouts.”

Louis’ heart skipped a beat as he recalled Harry asking him about his day when they used to have sex. Louis would just shrug and tell him to go to sleep and Harry would not prod again. 

Something like a needle went through Louis’ skin, burning that place as he looked at Harry. 

“Then ask him if he wants to have something to drink. Offer him wine. It would be very posh!” Harry was rambling. Louis tried not to listen as it was reminding him of their past. How Harry did those things for Louis.

“Okay, okay,” Louis laughed, “I will do everything in my power to woo him tonight. Anything else, sir?”

Harry shook his head, “nothing else. Just put on your best behaviour and I know he would love the night.”

Louis said nothing as he took the last turn of the road. Ten more minutes and they would reach. 

Louis wanted to ask Harry if he would like to watch the England versus Croatia match with him when Harry’s mobile started ringing. 

Harry pulled out his phone from his bag and pressed the receive button. 

“Hi,” Louis arched his brow at Harry’s joyous voice. He took a glance at the omega to see that Harry was grinning ear to ear. 

Who was calling him?

“No, Dylan. Just bring a tub of ice cream and nothing else. I have the CD’s and no drinks are allowed.” Harry giggled and then shook his head, “no. Even you are not allowed to drink in front of me. I will be sad, Dylan. Yes, you have to be the supporting alpha I need.”

Louis’ eyes were set on the road but his ears were all for Harry’s conversation. His hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly that he could feel his fingers throbbing and going numb. What was Harry talking about? Were they having a date tonight? Louis was not sure if he should ask or not but he wanted to. He really wanted to know. 

“Okay, see you. Yes, I am sure. I will be waiting. Bye, bye.” Harry hung up the phone with an easy smile on his face. 

Louis cleared his throat, “movie night?”

Harry nodded, “Yes. Niall is going out on a date. He did not want to leave me alone. You know how momma like he is,” Harry rolled his eyes fondly, “so Dylan offered to take care of me. We have decided that we would watch the Twilight series and laugh at the movies. It would be fun.”

Louis nodded, smiling at Harry as he pressed down on the break. The car came to a halt with a screech and Louis pushed out of the seat. 

Harry did the same thing and they both started walking towards the hospital gate. 

Louis wanted to ask a lot of questions but was he entitled?

“Don’t stay up too long, yeah?” Louis said as they stepped into the lift, “it is not good for the baby and you.”

Harry nodded, “I know that, Lou. Dylan might stay until Niall comes home but I will go to bed early. As I do always.”

Louis nodded. He wanted to ask where Dylan was going to stay until Niall came home but it would be overstepping boundaries. He was not ready to do that yet. 

As they stood in the lift, their sides touched. Louis could feel that Harry’s skin was burning up with fever. Was the boy really fine? Louis reached out to hold Harry’s waist, pulling him closer when another couple stepped into the lift. Harry looked at him quizzically but Louis just shrugged, not taking his hand off the omega. 

They stayed silent for the rest of the floors. Louis watched Harry counting the floors and the omega was humming to an unknown tune as they went. He looked happy.

Louis sighed. If Dylan made Harry happy then Louis had no problems. It was not like his problems really mattered but still… he was not sure if he would let anyone near Harry if he did not trust them. Harry was having his baby after all!

**\---**

 

Barbara welcomed them with a warm smile. She hugged Harry and nodded her greeting to Louis. 

Louis and Harry sat down on the chairs and Barbara took her seat. Harry gave her the prescriptions and X-rays and she took them with gratitude. 

Louis waited as Barbara went through the previous reports and all. Harry was answering her small questions here and there. 

“So, Harry? How are you feeling lately? Any sickness I need to know of?” She asked, her eyes finally meeting Harry’s. 

Harry shrugged, “just the morning sickness. I think I am getting sicker day by day as I keep vomiting throughout the day. It is not bad for the baby, right?”

Louis turned to see that Barbara was shaking her head already.

“No, Harry. It is not bad for the baby. It might be bad for your health though. Do you feel nauseous when you take the medicines even?”

Harry bit his lips, considering, “well, yeah? I can’t stomach food. Like, at all? I have to eat small portions throughout the day to stay conscious but I can’t eat a full meal. My stomach rolls otherwise. Then the fever is coming back time to time.”

Barbara pulled out a thermometer and asked Harry to place it in his mouth. Harry did it. 

Barbara looked at Louis and then at Harry, “the fever is coming from the bond mark, Harry. It is not from the baby.”

Louis looked at Barbara and then Harry. Louis’ heart twisted in his chest as he heard that Harry was suffering because of him. 

“What can we do to ease the pain?” Louis asked, urgent. 

Barbara pursed her lips, shaking her head, “nothing. We have to go with the flow. The bond mark can’t be sealed and Harry is pregnant. We can’t do anything about it.”

Harry gave the thermometer to her and she sighed.

“You have 38 degree Celsius fever, Harry. Does it increase?”

Harry nodded, “sometimes it does. I feel cold and tired. Just… really tired.”

Barbara sighed, “How is your diet working out for you?”

Harry shook his head, “I can’t stomach a lot of food as I said. Meat is a complete no and I am not really fond of sweet too.”

Louis saw how Barbara leaned forward, “what about the vomit? You are not coughing out blood, are you?”

Harry shook his head, “no. I am not. I did not for at least some weeks.”

Barbara nodded and then smiled, “well, we will do some more question answers when the ultrasound is done. Why don’t you come with me, Harry?”

Harry stood up and Louis followed. Barbara looked at him and Harry shrugged. 

“He is tagging along.”

Louis pinched Harry’s bicep and they all laughed, following Barbara.

**\---**

 

Barbara asked Harry to pull up his shirt and push his jeans down a bit to reveal his stomach and abdomen area. Louis stood beside Harry as Barbara placed ultrasound gel on Harry’s abdomen and Harry tensed up, squirming. 

Louis reached out to take Harry’s hand with concern, “what? What is it?”

Harry shook his head, “it is cold.”

Barbara nodded, “yeah. It is really cold. I forgot to mention that. Sorry.”

Harry shook his head, looking at the blank screen excitedly. Louis was looking at Harry’s stomach though. Barbara was spreading the gel with a wand and Louis watched Harry’s pale skin getting goose-bumps as it went. 

The screen was taking up an image as Louis could see. The black screen was moving with white dots and those dots finally made an image. 

Louis could feel his body going paralyzed as he noticed the small object on the screen. 

In Harry’s stomach, which was just an empty space on the screen, Louis could see something really small. Like the size of a lime. But Louis could point out the head. He could definitely point out the head. It was a small shape. The head was bent forward, the baby’s stomach was taking up its half size, and its legs were not really there, just two strands. Louis was not sure if the baby was fine or not.

“It is not moving!” Louis said, urgent, scared.

A low chuckle left Barbara’s lips, “the fetus is just twelve weeks old, Louis. It will not move this soon. It is not even developed. But that is not the point here, guys.” Barbara pointed at the screen, “Do you see that bundle over the fetus?”

Louis and Harry both squinted their eyes and Louis leaned forward to look at the screen properly. He could see another blob of something over the developing fetus and he was not sure what that one was. Was it some clot? 

“W-what is it? Is the baby fine?” Harry asked, his voice trembling. 

Barbara nodded with a wide smile, “that is your second baby, Harry. You two are having twins.”

**\---**

 

A sharp pain shot through Harry’s heart. His eyes welled up on its own as he heard Barbara’s words. He looked at the screen helplessly and reached out. He could not touch them. He would never be able to hold them. 

Twins. 

He was having two babies and he would never see their faces. He would not be able to hold them at night when they cried. He would not be able to breastfeed them when they would be hungry.

“We are having twins, Harry,” Louis’ awed whisper brought Harry back to reality. He met Barbara’s eyes first.

She looked forlornly at him. She knew what Harry was thinking. Harry tried to convey what he was feeling. Pain, grief, regret, happiness. Everything. 

He felt fingers wiping at his eyes and he looked at the alpha. Louis was looking at him with so much fondness and happiness that Harry wanted to cry harder. 

“Why are you crying, Harry?” Louis asked. His own eyes were moist. 

Harry shook his head, “happy tears, Lou. I am so happy.”

He turned back to look at the screen. His omega whizzing in him with joy. 

“It will be a lot of responsibility for us, no?” Louis asked.

Harry closed his eyes. 

_Just on you, Louis. I will not be here when they come._

“Y-yeah. You will be fine,” Harry whispered.

Louis gripped his hand tightly and smiled, “we will be fine.”

Harry said nothing as tears rolled out of his eyes. 

_Don’t hate me when I leave, Louis. Please._

“The babies are due around the 12th of February,” Barbara said.

Louis looked at Harry, “they would share your birth month, Harry.”

Harry said nothing. They would share his death month too. He just nodded with a smile and looked at Barbara. 

“Can I talk to you for a second? Alone?”

Barbara looked at Louis and Louis looked at Harry. The alpha looked confused. 

Harry ignored Louis and looked at Barbara with pleading eyes and she nodded. 

“Of course. Louis? Please leave us alone for a moment.”

Louis hesitated for a second, his eyes locked on Harry. Harry smiled at him in assurance and Louis nodded stiffly before leaving the room with taut shoulders.

Harry sighed and looked at Barbara. 

“He doesn’t know about my condition.” When Barbara nodded, Harry continued, “I am feeling pain throughout my abdomen and sometimes through my veins. Is it because of the bond or the babies? The babies are fine, right?”

Barbara nodded, “the babies are fine, Harry. You are feeling that pain because of the Rabies in your blood. The bond is not closed and it is trying to find the closure. Your blood is overpowered by the virus and you did not even it out as I said before.”

Harry nodded, sighing as Barbara started wiping off the gel. 

He closed his eyes and inhaled a long breath, “Be honest with me, Barbs.”

He opened his eyes and looked directly at her, “do I have even one per cent chance of survival?”

Barbara’s eyes were focused on Harry’s stomach, “it is twins, Harry. You don’t…” she coughed, hiding her face even more as she ducked down to shove the used pieces of cotton in a bin. 

Harry exhaled, closing his eyes. He did not cry this time. He just blinked back his tears and looked at Barbara. 

“Give me a photo of the ultrasound, Barbs. I want to send it to my mum.”

Barbara looked at him forlornly, sighing, “don’t lose hope, Harry. Miracles happen if you really believe in them.”

Harry said nothing. 

One miracle did happen. 

Louis did come back. Louis was his friend now. Louis was excited about the babies now. Louis was not running away. He was not rude to Harry anymore. 

Could Harry really ask for another one? 

He just nodded at Barbara, smiling as she handed him the photocopy.

**\----**

 

Louis looked down at his phone. 

“I am already at your flat. Where are you? Come soon.”

Arthur was waiting for him. Louis pushed the mobile in his pocket and smiled at the white wall. 

He could imagine weekends like this. Arthur would wait for him to come home with the twins. Louis might be late and when he would return, he would see Arthur feeding one of the twins and he would snap a photo. He would have a family. 

They would be a happy family. Harry would visit them to take back the babies and Louis would ask him to stay for dinner. Maybe Arthur would be pregnant by then. Louis would never ignore his firstborns, no, but it would be amazing to have babies with Arthur. He would be the happiest person on earth. 

“Sir, ma’am asked you to come in,” a nurse broke Louis’ trance. 

Louis nodded at her and stood up. 

When he stepped in, Harry was back in the chair and was talking to Barbara. Louis sat down beside Harry and tried to pick up on what they were discussing. 

“Take all these medicines and you will be fine, Harry. Here is a potion for your rashes. Take it if the rashes itch too much, yeah? Otherwise, just try to keep the skin cool, rub ice over the rashes and you will be fine.”

Harry nodded, looking at the prescription Barbara handed him. 

“Anything else?” Louis asked.

Barbara shook her head, “no. Call me if something happens.” She looked at Harry pointedly, “I am always available, Harry. Just call me.”

Harry nodded with a smile, “when do we have to come back for a checkup?”

Barbara shrugged, “for normal pregnancies, I ask the patient to come back after a month but I will suggest you come back in two weeks. I don’t want to take any risk.”

Louis frowned. Normal pregnancies? Why was Harry not in that list?

“What is abnormal with Harry’s pregnancy?” He asked.

Harry was the first one whose smile dimmed and then Barbara was blinking at Louis with a startled expression. Louis could not understand what was going on as Harry looked at Barbara and she looked back. Their mouths opened and closed. 

Barbara was the first one to recover. She smiled at Louis and shook her head.

“Harry is not mated, right? Therefore, sometimes, the pregnancy can be a bit difficult for an unmated omega. That is all. Nothing more.”

Louis could feel that it was not all. He looked at Harry to see that he was closing his eyes to take a deep breath. They were hiding something from him. 

What?

He knew that if he prodded, Harry would not say anything and Louis did not want to stress the omega. So he just nodded with a stiff smile and stayed silent. 

“We will see you soon, Barbs,” Harry smiled at her and Louis just nodded as they left the room.

**\---**

Harry closed his eyes as soon as they were in the car. His hands automatically went for his stomach. Barbara had said that he would start to show in one or so week. He sighed as soon as the car picked up speed. 

“Where to now?” Louis asked.

Harry shrugged, “to the campus. I have three classes and then I will go home.”

“Okay.”

The car ride was silent after that. 

When the car stopped in front of the campus, Harry opened his eyes and unbuckled himself.

“Call me if you need something,” Louis said. Those blue eyes were shining as they watched Harry.

Harry tried not to feel the pang of something in his heart when he remembered that Louis had a date with Arthur that night. 

No.

He would not let his feelings drive him mad. He would not ruin the tentative friendship they had established. 

He smiled, winking at the alpha, “not a chance. You have a date with Arthur and I will not disturb you.”

Louis’ smile vanished, a frown taking over those thick brows, “you won’t disturb me, Harry. Call me if you need something. I will see to it.”

Harry took the bag from the backseat and shook his head, “nope,” he pushed the door open and turned back to look at Louis with a mischievous smile, “you are not. You will be with Arthur and enjoy a night in. I will be fine. I have Dylan and Zayn told me to call him if I want to go somewhere. I will be absolutely fine.”

He waved at Louis as he hopped off the car, “see you, Lou.”

He did not wait to watch Louis go. 

Harry was done with that. He was done being the rejected one. He was done being the one to stop and see the alpha leaving. He was done being the teary-eyed omega who would beg the alpha to stay. Harry was done being the last one to step away.

Harry was not moving on. He was still stuck to that place where his heart skipped beats as Louis laughed with him but now he was better at acting. Now he was better at laughing off the goose-bumps he got when Louis would touch him. Now he was better at shrugging off Niall’s concerned gazes. He was better at denying his omega when he would ask for the alpha’s warm embrace at night. He was better at ignoring every shot of pain when he would see Louis with Arthur. Harry was now better at faking smiles. He had learned to act as if nothing mattered. Maybe it was because now he knew that he was not here for a long time. Maybe because he knew that he would leave all these feelings behind when life came to an end for him. Now Harry knew that he was not here for a long time.   
Harry closed his eyes as he walked, trying to blink back tears as his omega scratched at his heart. 

_No. Please. Not anymore._

“Walking with closed eyes is harmful.”

Harry jumped out of his skin and stopped walking. His eyes shot up to see a blinding smile on a known face. 

He exhaled a relieved breath and glared at the alpha. 

“Dylan! You scared me!”

Dylan did not even look regretful as he placed his left arm around Harry’s shoulders and pulled him closer, walking along. 

“I am wounded, Styles. I was shooting for funny, you know?”

Harry shook his head, smiling, “you failed then. Terribly.”

Dylan scrunched his nose up, a fond smile on his face, “next time then.” He laughed when Harry stomped on his foot and pinched Harry’s side.

“How was the ultrasound?”

Harry grinned, “I am having twins!”

Dylan stopped on his track and turned to face Harry with wide eyes. In the middle of the path, they stood face to face. Dylan’s hands were on Harry’s shoulders, tightly holding him as the alpha’s eyes dropped on Harry’s stomach. 

“Oh, my God! Are you serious? Twins? Where is the photocopy? I want to see. Can you really see them? Twins? Two babies? I will have two babies to call me uncle. Oh, my God, Haz!”

Harry squeaked very unattractively when Dylan scooped him up in a tight hug, laughing heartily. Harry could not grin harder. His jaw hurt as he grinned in Dylan’s neck but he was nodding along. His hands squeezed the alpha’s broad shoulders. 

“Yes, yes. You will have two babies to babysit. I will leave them to you all the time.”

Dylan giggled with glee. 

“Anytime, Haz. I would be honoured,” he pushed Harry away slightly to look him in the eye, “can I be the Godfather?”

Harry beamed, “you have to defeat Niall then.”

Dylan pouted, “You know that is not possible. He would chaw my head off if I say that I want to be the godfather.”

Harry laughed, nodding along. Niall would be so happy. Anne would be so happy. Gemma, he would have to call her. She might want to come and meet him.

Harry pulled Dylan towards the campus. Their loud voices were disturbing many but they were not really bothered. They kept walking, Dylan almost jumping up and down and Harry laughing at him. 

Yes, he would be fine. 

As Harry looked at his friend, something warm unfurled in his chest. He would be fine.

**\---**

Louis watched Harry go. He watched Dylan coming up to him. He watched them hug and laugh together. He watched them disappearing in the campus together.

He turned on the car and drove out of the gate. His eyes were set on the road but his heart was not there. Neither was his mind. 

Harry did not turn back to say bye. The Omega did not wave at him repeatedly. Harry did not smile at him like a loon as he used to. 

Louis was not sure what to feel.

**\---**

 

The night dragged on with a lot of paperwork and typing. Louis could not imagine what Harry meant by date night but it was surely not that. 

He was tired to his bone and Arthur was not really helping. The omega kept talking. Louis was not sure why Arthur looked so chilled out with so much project work in front of him. Louis was not sure how to ask him to shut up. Louis could not work with someone talking over his shoulders. Louis wanted a cuppa but Liam was not home and Zayn would dump the hot liquid on him if he asked him to move. 

Louis looked at the clock and it was past ten. His eyes were drooping. Every line of the books was dancing in front of his eyes now. He could not concentrate and his head really hurt. 

“Let me make you a cup of tea,” Louis said. 

Arthur nodded, smiling at him, “sure. Thanks. I will do the notes ‘til then.”

Louis nodded distractedly and left the room. 

The flat was dark. Zayn was in his room, doing whatever he wanted to and Liam was out with Niall. 

Louis scratched his chest under the T-shirt as he went. 

He put the kettle on the stove and stood in the kitchen with his hips leaning against the kitchen counter. 

He pulled out his phone to see that there were no missed calls. Harry did not call him. 

Should he call? Was Harry busy? Was Dylan there?

Louis placed the phone on the counter and closed his eyes. No. He would not call. Harry would have called if he wanted something. 

“Looking at it won’t make it ring, you know?”

Louis jumped, his heart leaping out of his mouth. 

He turned to see Zayn coming out of the hallway, sitting down on the sofa comfortably. 

“What?” Louis asked, trying to even out his breathing. 

Zayn pointed at the mobile uninterestedly and switched on the television. 

“Why are you so tired and sleepy when you have Arthur in your room?”

Louis frowned at the back of Zayn’s head, “what am I supposed to do? Jump him?”

Zayn shrugged, “I would not be surprised if you do that, really.”

Louis wanted to throw something at the alpha’s head but he composed himself, hopping on the counter. 

“We are doing coursework and I don’t think I am up for that kind of desperation right now.”

Zayn nodded, eyes still stuck on the television, “or you are just fidgety and tensed about the state of your call list.”

Louis frowned, “what?”

This time Zayn looked back, an unreadable expression on his face. 

“Call him.”

Louis wanted to look away. He wanted to jump off the counter and turn his back to the alpha but he stared back, unabashed. 

“Whom?”

Zayn rolled his eyes, “call him before you lose it, mate. You want to.”

Louis was saved from answering when the kettle blew out a whistle. The tea was ready. Louis jumped off the counter and rounded it. 

“I have no idea what you are talking about, pal.”

Zayn’s heavy gaze was burning a hole on Louis’ back. Louis could feel it but he did not turn back. He poured the tea in two cups and placed them in a tray with milk and sugar. He did know that Arthur took two spoons of sugar in his tea but he wanted to ask the omega first. 

“Take some rest, mate,” Louis called over his shoulder, “you need it.”

“Take a reality check, mate,” Zayn called out, “you need it.”

Louis shook off Zayn’s words. Idiot.

**\---**

 

The clock indicated seven past eleven when Louis’ phone started ringing. The alpha’s head shot up from the pile of books and he looked around the bed. The phone was not there. 

“Easy, Lou!” Arthur said when Louis shoved the pillow away to see if the phone was there or not. The pillow tumbled off the bed. 

“The ring is coming from the hall,” Arthur pointed out and gasped when Louis jumped off the bed to go to the hall. 

Louis huffed out a breath to see that the mobile was on the counter and Zayn was still watching some kind of cooking show. He did not even bother to take the call. 

“Wow,” Louis said, “thanks for leaving the phone alone, mate. Means a lot.”

Zayn did not even reply, his eyes stuck on the television. 

Louis grabbed the phone off the counter and looked at the caller ID. Exhaustion weighted down his body when he saw that Liam was calling him. Louis leaned against the counter and sighed. His left hand pressed the phone against his ear and his right hand pressed down on his eyes. 

“Yes, Liam?”

“Do you two want ice-cream? We are at this ice-cream parlour down the street. I would buy some if you want.”

Louis wanted to scream but it was not Liam’s fault. Was it?

“Do you want ice-cream, Zayn?” He asked. 

“I am always in for ice-cream, Lou,” Zayn said, his head not even turning slightly. 

Louis closed his eyes, “yeah. Buy it.”

“What flavour?” Liam asked.

Louis gritted his teeth, glaring at Zayn’s back, “whichever, Liam. I don’t care. Yeah?”

He cut the call and shoved the phone in his pocket. 

Anger was rolling through his veins as he stepped towards his room. Louis tried to calm his breathing down for the sake of Arthur. The Omega did not deserve such bad behaviour but Louis was losing it. 

Why did not Harry call? Liam and Niall were still out. Was he with Dylan then? Was he asleep? Was he fine? Why did not he call?

The phone started to ring again. Much to Louis’ irritation. Liam could not take a hint. Could he?

He pulled out his phone and slid the answering button. 

“What?” He barked. 

“Lou?”

It was like every single flare of anger was ebbing off Louis’ body as his taut shoulders shagged. Louis leaned against the hallway wall and rested his head on the cold brick, his eyes set on the white wall. 

“Are you fine?” Harry asked again, cautiously. 

Louis sighed, “I should ask you that, Harry.”

There was a soft chuckle, “I am fine. I just called to ask you about your date.”

Louis smiled, “my date? What about it?”

There was a pause and then Harry coughed, “how is it going? Did you offer him food or drink at least?”

Louis nodded, knowing completely well that Harry could not see him, “I did. I offered him tea and chips.”

There was a gasp. Louis bit his lips, trying not to smile too hard. 

“Just tea and chips? That’s all? What the hell, Louis?” Harry sounded indignant, “what about a proper meal? Wine? Anything but tea!”

Louis crossed his ankles, amusement lighting up his face, “are you insulting tea, Harold? I practically live for tea.”

Harry huffed, “no. I love tea too but ask him about real food, Lou! Something dinner worthy! He is starving maybe! Oh, my God, you are such an idiot!”

Louis sighed, “I will do that, Harry,” he waited for a moment in silence, “how are you? Did you eat?”

“I did. I ate a sandwich and I will eat again. Dylan brought Momo for both of us. What about you?”

Louis heaved a sigh, “hungry, are you?”

Harry chuckled, “Yes, I am. I am eating for three now.”

Both of them stayed silent for a moment. Louis tried to hear Harry’s breathing and Harry was not saying anything too. 

“I should get back. The third movie is starting. I will see you soon, Lou. Good night.”

Louis wanted to talk some more. Did Harry want something for the midnight snack? Did he take his medicine? How was his health? Did he want ice-cream? Which flavour? Louis could buy some and stop at his flat. Frozen yoghurt?

“Yeah, yeah. Okay, Harry. Take care.”

Both of them stayed on the line. Louis was not sure if he should cut the call or Harry would. 

“I am not going to play, ‘no, you hang up,’ with you, Lou,” came Harry’s voice.

Louis grinned at the wall, his heart squeezing with something fond, “then don’t, Harry. You hang up.”

Harry giggled, “Ask Arthur about dinner, yeah? Now you hang up!”

Louis nodded; a wide smile on his face, “I will. You sleep well, yeah?”

Harry sighed, “Dylan is calling. I have to go. Good night. I am cutting the call. Bye.”

Louis closed his eyes when Harry really hung up this time. He looked down at the phone in his hand and sighed, smiling softly.

It was like his tiredness was gone. He was waking up again. He might read the whole chapter now and make notes too. 

“Louis? Bring back the takeaway menu when you come here.”

Arthur’s voice broke through his thoughts and Louis shagged against the wall. Harry was right. Arthur deserved his complete attention. He had to make this work. He had to woo the omega. He hoped that Harry would be there to guide him through it. He could not believe how much time he had wasted not noticing Harry. They were meant to be best friends. Were not they? 

Louis walked back to the hall to take the menus with him. 

“Why so happy?”

Louis looked at Zayn and shrugged, “nothing. Do I need a reason to be happy?”

Zayn said nothing. 

Louis did not wait either. He skipped back to his room. Arthur was waiting.

**\---**

Zayn watched his best friend go, a smile on his face. 

“Just how fast the night changes!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope it was fine? Let me know. Leave a comment.


	6. Chapter - 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me. Please. :P

Louis could not believe England lost. He stared at the television and refused to acknowledge his friends who were screaming or cursing or whatever. Arthur was sitting beside Louis, on his left side. The omega was sipping on his beer and muttering curses at the TV. 

Louis took the remote and shut the TV off. 

“I can’t believe they lost! What the hell!” Liam hissed, his head still in his hands. Niall was looking at his alpha with something like fondness. He rubbed the alpha’s nape and kissed his temple. Louis could hear Niall’s cooing voice as Liam whined. 

“Well, better luck next time,” Arthur said, sighing. He stood up from the sofa and looked down at Louis. 

“Do you want another one?” 

Louis looked down at the almost warm beer and shook his head. He was not feeling like drinking anymore. His mouth felt dry and somewhat sour. 

“I need a smoke,” he grumbled, leaving the packed room to go to the balcony. 

He looked around their neighbourhood. It was almost four in the evening. He could see the university gate from his building. It was blurry as the distance was huge but it was still visible. 

The evening rush was yet to kick in. Louis closed the balcony door, feeling the quiet evening sun on his skin. The warmth was somewhat soothing. 

The first drag of the cigarette was burning his throat. Louis’ eyes watered as he held the smoke in his lungs. His eyes were on the setting sun at the horizon. He could not believe England lost. His eyes fell on the flag that he had tied to the balcony railing. It was still soaring in the air, making a flapping sound. The soft sound was irritating to Louis now. 

If he really squinted, he could see the corner of the flag. It had, “It’s coming home,” written on it with black marker. 

Harry. 

Harry had written it, giggling as Louis had just made a deadpanned face at him. They had tied the flag on that railing together. Louis had tied one of Harry’s fingers with the railing too in his hurry. The Omega had laughed so hard as Louis apologized profusely while cutting the knot. 

“There, you are free,” Louis had said, grinning when he was done.

Harry’s smiled had dimmed, those eyes gleaming as he had looked down at his free hand. Then he had smiled up at Louis.

“Yeah. Finally, I am free.”

== 

Louis coughed when the smoke started coming out of his nose and mouth. He was holding onto it for too long. The crisp air was carrying away the smoke as Louis stood there.

Harry was not here. He could not make it. He was out with his batch for some project. Louis had protested vehemently when the omega had told him that he had to leave for almost a week. It was some kind of a photography excursion. Their team was going to Chicago and Louis was as tensed as he possibly could get. He was adamant to go with Harry but Harry had denied his help. He was very calm as Louis had fretted over the fact that Harry was going with a team that had only four more omegas in it. 

In the end, he had promised to call Louis time to time and had left. 

Harry did not call. Louis did not call either. 

Louis was not sure why Harry did not call but Louis could not call because he was not ready to hear the omega’s voice and he was not sure that he would be able to stay here and not follow if he did hear the omega. 

Louis tried not to think too much about the omega as he heard someone coming his way. He looked back to see Arthur was opening the sliding door of the balcony. The omega’s scent was washing over Louis in a few moments. Louis inhaled deeply, his lungs full. His eyes took in the omega he desired and a pleased smile took a hold of his lips. Arthur smiled back, handing him a can of Mountain Dew. Louis opened it and took a sip. 

“They will do better the next time, yeah?” Arthur said, leaning against the railing. 

Louis nodded, his eyes fixed on the omega. Arthur was looking at him with something soft in his eyes. Louis was sure that he was looking back with the exact same expression. His heart skipped a beat when the omega placed his hand on his. Tingling sensation ran through Louis’ veins as Arthur squeezed his hand. Their eyes met again, both of them smiling at each other. 

“Yeah,” Louis said, his eyes skimming down towards the omega’s lips. Arthur noticed. If the way he licked his lips was any indication. Louis could feel his head leaning forward. Arthur looked ethereal under the evening sun. His pale skin was glowing orange, his eyes shining with the rays of the sun. Those lips were parted, red, so red. Louis wanted to taste them. His eyes were fixed on them and maybe that was why he noticed when Arthur exhaled. His lips wobbled as he lifted his chin up. 

Louis stepped forward, his hands reaching out to hold the omega’s waist. Arthur let him, supporting his weight with his arms around Louis’ shoulders. 

Louis felt when their noses touched. Their lips quivering as they got closer. Arthur smelt like mint. He smelt so refreshing. 

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Louis whispered against Arthur’s lips, his heart hammering in his chest. He wished for Arthur to just kiss him. Please kiss him. 

Arthur sighed, “I have waited so long, Louis. So long.”

Louis groaned when their lips met, his hands pulling the omega closer. Louis tried to breathe through his nose as his lips moulded against Arthur’s. Every sound the omega let out was heavenly to Louis’ ears. He could feel his own moans rumbling through him. He manoeuvred them, pressing Arthur against the wall of the balcony. 

“Fuck.”

They both jumped back to see that Liam was standing at the doorway, his eyes wide. Louis’ eyes found Niall just behind Liam. They both looked dishevelled too. 

Arthur chuckled, wiping his lips, “what? Never saw two people kissing?”

Niall literally bristled, “oh, trust me, Arthur. I did. So many times.”

Louis felt chill running through his spine when Niall’s intense eyes found him. The omega let out a terse smile. 

“I am glad that it’s finally you.”

Niall left, leaving behind three awkward people. 

“Err… I,” Liam stuttered, looking at Louis and then back at Niall’s retreating form, “I will just… yeah.” He stumbled out of the balcony. 

Louis could feel dread settling in his guts. He felt irritation clouding his head too. Why did Niall make it look like he was cheating on Harry? Harry and he were not anything special. They had a deal. No string attached sex. Why was Niall making him feel guilty about the kiss?

Arthur kissed him. 

“What was that all about?” Arthur asked, his tone sceptic. 

Louis turned to face him, shrugging, “nothing. He thinks I am cheating on Harry or something.”

Arthur pressed his lips together, frowning. Louis could not look at the omega. 

“You two are not a thing,” Arthur said then, “does it bother you that you kissed me?”

Louis turned to face the omega, “no. It doesn’t. Harry and me… we are not a thing.”

Arthur let out a sigh, smiling down at the tiles of the balcony. 

“Why did you kiss me?” Louis asked next, “didn’t you say that you are still not over George? You said it last night.”

Arthur looked at him for a moment, his eyes searching Louis’ face. Louis stayed on his spot. His eyes were set on the omega. He was done with games. He wanted to come out with his feelings. He could not wait anymore. 

Then Arthur shrugged, “it was hard not to.”

When Louis just raised his brows in confusion Arthur reached out to grip Louis’ face in his hands, “it was getting hard day by day for me to deny that… I feel something for you, Lou! I feel something for you. George left me because of that. Do you know?”

Something burst inside Louis’ chest, his breathing escalating. He looked at the omega in front of him, his hands gripping that petite boy closer.

“What?” Louis could feel the tremble in his voice. He tried not to become optimistic but how could he help himself when his love was standing in front of him and confessing something like that? 

“I was so lost in you that I could not concentrate on George,” Arthur whispered, “I was so involved but then…” his brows furrowed, “I saw you with Harry and I thought…”

Louis shook his head vehemently, “nothing. Nothing is there. I don’t love him like that. I never would. I love you, Arthur,” he could feel his voice choking up, “so much.”

Arthur smiled, his eyes twinkling as he nodded, “you do?”

Louis could not nod faster, his eyes gleaming. 

A soft chuckle left Arthur’s lips as he pressed closer to Louis. 

“Show me, Lou. Show me how much you love me.”

Louis was not sure who pressed in more but in a second, their lips met again. Louis was not sure who whined or who growled but he stopped caring.

=== 

“I have finally confessed. Can you imagine? He feels the same, Harry. Arthur loves me too! Do you hear me screaming?”

Harry gasped for air. His eyes were unfocused as he tumbled down on the bed of the hotel. The first sob came with self-hatred. His eyes burnt as he felt tears gliding down on his cheeks. Self-pity came with the first hiccup. He lay down on the bed, curling in on himself. Harry covered his mouth as his whole body wracked with the next sob. There was no one in his room but he was suppressing his sobs. Not for someone else but for himself. He felt pathetic for still caring. Why did it hurt so badly? What was he expecting? It was inevitable. Who would not love Louis? Of course, Arthur felt the same. Of course, he did. 

Harry hid his face in the duvet as his omega thrashed in him. It was piteous to think that Louis still affected him so much or he still had that slight ray of hope in his heart. 

Harry let go then, crying out in that empty room. His sobs bounced on those white walls and came right back at him. He let his heart feel the pain. 

Maybe for the last time. He would not cry ever again. Harry let out a scream, hiding his face in his palms. 

Louis deserved to be happy. He loved Arthur. Harry never stood a chance. 

He knew all that. His mind knew all that but what about the traitor heart? It broke, it hurt and at the end of the day, it still beat for Louis. 

Harry let the dizziness consume him. As he closed his eyes, he wished for only one thing. 

“Let him be happy, God. Please, Louis has suffered so much. Let him be happy.”

=== 

One month.

It had been one month since the confession. It had been one month since their first kiss. 

Louis looked at his phone’s wallpaper. Arthur’s smiling face stared back at him. He was finally able to show off his omega. He was able to call him his omega. 

It was their first official date night.

It was their first official date night’s morning and Louis was frantically searching through his wardrobe for something to wear. 

Louis was not sure how to propose but he wanted to bring Arthur back to his flat. They had not had sex in that past one month and Louis wanted to. He really wanted to.

Harry told him that he should. He had waited for so long. 

Harry.

Louis would always get distracted nowadays when he would think about Harry. 

Harry was showing. He was fattening up and Louis was never this awestruck by a pregnant omega as he was with Harry. Harry was chubbier now. His cheeks were puffy and so were his ankles. Yes, Louis had measured them. Harry would swat at him but Louis took his measurement every week. 

What amazed him was Harry’s stomach. It was proper round and Louis would spend hours just staring at it. Whenever they met, Louis’ first instinct would be to touch the bump and coo at it. Arthur would snicker and his friends would laugh but he could not help it. 

“God! You would have to do a lot of exercises to get back your form when the pregnancy would be over, Hazza,” he had said one day. 

Harry had just shrugged, “not gonna need this body then. Might search for a new one.”

Louis shook his head, bringing himself back from that omega’s thoughts. 

Sometimes Harry would say some weirdest shit ever. Louis could not properly grasp it. 

He pulled out his phone and dialled. 

“Hello?”

Louis frowned when Niall picked up Harry’s phone. He looked at his face on the mirror and coughed.

“Niall, hi… um… where is Harry?”

There was a commotion and then Niall sighed, “He is sleeping. Anything important?”

Louis took a glance at the clock. It was almost eleven in the morning. Harry never slept that late!

“Asleep? Now?” he murmured, trying to fathom it. 

“Yeah, he came home yesterday from the hospital and could not sleep because of the cannula. New and all…”

Louis’ brows furrowed, his hands stopping the rummaging as he stared at the mirror again.

“Hospital? What hospital? What are you talking about?” Louis asked, his breathing escalating already.

Niall chuckled, “you have no idea, right? Gosh, Louis!” the omega sounded resigned, “you have no idea. You called last night. What did Harry tell you?”

Louis bit his lip, his heart hammering against his ribcage. 

“He told me that he was watching TV. I wanted to give a visit but he begged me not to…” he stopped when realization caught on to him. His eyes dropped to gaze at the floor. Pain twisted in his heart, “he was in hospital then, was not he?”

“I wish he never met you, Louis. I…”

Louis’ eyes widened when he heard the first sob Niall let out. He felt bewildered, helpless as Niall cried. 

“I wish he had someone else. I wish he was going to be fine,” Niall sobbed, “I wish he was not d…”

Louis pressed the phone closer to his ear but the line went dead. He pulled the phone back and stared at it. Louis dialled again and the phone rang. 

No one picked up. 

It was like losing every emotion in one go. Louis felt fear. Only fear. His throat convulsed as he rushed out of his room. He was running through the hall when his phone rang again. Louis ignored it. He knew that ringtone. Arthur was calling but…

As he left the building, only one thought marred Louis’ brain. 

_“I wish he never met you…”_

=== 

Third time.

It was the third time he was pressing the buzzer of Harry’s flat and no one was opening it. Louis felt like kicking the door down. He pressed the buzzer again, giving so much pressure that the bell almost wailed. 

“Coming.”

As the door opened, Louis ignored Niall’s shocked expression and shoved past him. He ignored Niall when the omega followed him. He did not even bother to look at Niall as he locked the door behind him, causing Niall to bang on it. 

When he turned to face the room, the first thing Louis noticed was the omega. 

Harry was sitting on the windowsill, sipping on a mug of coffee. 

Louis halted when the omega turned to see who the intruder was. 

Dread and regret rushed through Louis. His heart was in knots as soon as Harry turned. Something like bile was rising in Louis’ throat. His eyes scanned over the omega’s body.

The morning sun was falling on Harry’s pale face, showing the dark circles under those moss-green eyes explicitly. Those curls were gone. Louis bulked on the spot. His eyes stuck on Harry’s head. Harry had chopped those strands off. His hair was short now, shorter than Louis had ever seen. They were matted to his forehead. Harry looked tired, his lips were not as red as they normally used to be. It was rougher. Harry looked exhausted. 

What caused Louis to take two steps back was the cannula. 

Harry had a cannula going around his face. The transparent pipe’s two ends were in Harry’s nose and it was connecting a small cylinder of oxygen to Harry. Harry had trouble breathing. Harry was short of breath. 

Louis was not sure what to say.

He stepped closer. His eyes were focused on the omega’s nose as he walked up to him. 

“Lou,” Harry mumbled, hesitant. 

Louis was in the touching distance when he saw the omega’s skin was peeling off. Harry’s soft and smooth skin was scarred with rashes and marks. Louis reached out, touching the cannula. The cold pipe burnt Louis’ fingers and the alpha recoiled. 

“You lied,” Louis heard himself whispering. He forced his eyes up to meet the omega’s and tried not to let any kind of pain show on his face.

“You lied to me when I called you last night,” he whispered. 

Harry opened his mouth and then closed it. His long eyelashes fanned over those dark-circles as he looked away. 

Louis reached out with urgency, gripping Harry’s wrist. 

“You were in the hospital when I called you last night. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Harry looked at him for a moment and then looked back at the street. He shrugged. 

“I was not going to ruin your time with Arthur.”

Louis let out a hysteric laugh, shaking his head. 

“So you lied. You just assumed that spending time with Arthur is more important. You were…” Louis gestured wildly at Harry, “you were in pain and suffering and you thought you can decide if I should know or not. How is everything your call, Harry? How can you just do that when you know that…” sharp pain shot through Louis’ heart, he could not accept what he was going to say but it was the truth, “you are in pain because of me!”

Louis let the tears soak the rim of his eyes then, “you are in pain because of me. That bond…” he sniffed, reaching out to grip Harry’s knee, “that bond is the reason of all this! How do you not blame me?”

Harry was sitting there stoically, his eyes focused on the fabric of his yoga pants. His lips were bitten raw as those bunny teeth chewed on them. Those soft and short strands touched his eyes, almost getting into those green orbs. The boy looked like a fresh afternoon after days of heavy downpour. Washed, green and so bright. The sun was bathing him in yellow rays, soft particles of dust were levitating around him. As Harry moved, they would move too, almost creating a halo around his silhouette. Louis tried not to stare at those eyelashes as they flapped leisurely. He tried not to reach out and rub his thumb against that soft stubble on Harry’s chin. It looked so soft and almost baby like. 

“What would that earn me?”

Harry’s question broke Louis’ thoughts. He blinked at the omega in confusion. 

Harry shrugged, sipping slowly, “what would I get even if I blame you? The bond is not the problem. The pregnancy is not a problem too. The problem is the situation. How can I blame you for everything and just be happy about it?” 

Louis opened his mouth to protest but Harry beat him. 

“My mum always taught me that you should move on and try to find a solution. Blaming each other is pointless. It makes you feel better but you don’t get a solution from it. Do you? You just waste your time,” those eyes were sliding away from Louis, “I don’t have much time anyway.”

Louis bulked, “what?”

Harry shook his head, visibly cringing as he looked at Louis, “I mean, we don’t have much time. You have a date, Louis,” the grin was forced, Louis could tell, “you have a date and you need to get ready. Do you have something to wear? Did you select something? Where are you taking him?”

Louis wanted to reach out and just shake Harry, violently. He wanted to shout at the omega for being so selfless. He wanted to scream at Harry and tell him to just be a little bit selfish. 

Louis just shrugged, “no clue. I don’t know anything. Help me?”

Harry’s eyes widened, puzzled. He turned to face Louis completely now, dumbfounded. 

“You have done nothing?” 

Louis winced at the omega’s shrill voice and shook his head. He had to reach out when Harry slid down from the windowsill. Harry stumbled a bit and then grasped the bannister. 

Louis noticed the small, black backpack on Harry’s back. It had the cylinder. 

Louis looked away. 

“We are helping you with your outfit and bookings and everything. Let’s get going,” Harry said, pushing at Louis’ chest for him to move. 

Louis gripped the omega’s wrists and looked at him. 

“Are you sure?”

Harry smiled with a nod, “absolutely.”

=== 

“Where do you think you are going?”

Louis and Harry both winced. They turned to see that Niall was glaring at them from the couch. 

Louis shambled on the spot and Harry made a pleading face. 

“Lou needs help? With his date?” Harry said, making a pleading face. 

Niall blinked at him, expression void of any emotions, “Louis needs help with his date.” He sounded as blank, “You are going with him to help him for his date.”

Harry nodded, gripping the front of his shirt tightly. 

Niall’s blue eyes fell on Louis. Louis would rather have a python’s eyes on him. Niall looked that stormy and disgusted at the same time. 

He stood up from the couch and folded his hands over his chest, leaning against the back of the couch, he looked at Harry. 

“So…” he blinked, “you are trying to tell me, you need to move your ass to his flat to plan his date when he did not even bother to come to the hospital when you were almost whizzing for a single breath. Am I right?”

Sliced. 

Louis felt like someone was slicing his heart open. He blinked at Harry who was now looking at Niall with a crumbling expression. 

Niall laughed, short but pained, “you are going to his flat to decorate his future when you don't even know what you would do if that oxygen cylinder ends. You might stop breathing forever. I don’t know. You are trying to tell me that his fucking date with his fucking omega is more important than your health or your stability. Am I getting it right?”

Louis could see how Niall was tearing up as he stood up properly. 

“You are leaving the flat with skipping steps when you don’t even know if your heart will skip the next beat or not. You were literally out there in the hospital bed, faint and lifeless two days ago and now you are just…” those blue eyes fell on Louis, “where were you then?”

Louis fumbled for words. 

Nothing. 

Niall advanced towards him, “where were you when Barbara was almost in a panic attack because Harry was not responding to her medicines? Where were you when I signed the papers that if something happened to Harry, it was not the hospital’s fault?”

Louis flinched when Niall gripped his collars and shook him, “is he just a storage place for your babies, Louis? Do you even consider him as a living being?”

This time Harry gripped Niall’s hands and pulled him away. 

Niall shouted profanities at Louis but Harry gathered him up in a hug, shushing him. 

“I will be fine,” Harry was saying when Niall pushed away. 

“No, you will not!”

Louis could feel the words echoing around the flat as Niall screamed, his cheeks wet with tears. 

“You are not fine and you will never be and I can’t do anything except see it happen!”

Harry tried to stop Niall but the omega was running out of the flat slamming the door behind him. 

Harry looked at Louis and sighed, “Let’s go.”

Louis could not move. He stared at Harry and the closed door. 

“Why did he say that you will never be fine?”

Harry flinched, looking anywhere but at Louis. 

Louis took a step towards Harry, “why did he say that, Harry? It is just for the pregnancy, right? You will be just fine after that, right?”

Harry nodded, “of course, Lou. I will be fine after that. Absolutely fine. Can we go now? We are getting late.”

Louis gripped Harry’s elbow to stop him. When Harry met his eyes, Louis whispered. 

“You are not lying, right?”

Harry smiled, “not at all.”

=== 

Harry relaxed on Louis’ bed, closing his eyes as he let Louis rummage through his wardrobe. Louis almost begged him to just take some rest as he tried something on. Harry could not deny the offer.

Harry was not really weak. He was not feeling too bad but the cannula was itching in his nose. Harry wanted to take it off but it was not an option. 

He did not look around. That room held memories. That bed held so many memories. 

Harry rubbed his fingers over the pillowcases, inhaling the scent of the alpha. 

He tried not to think about the things those pillows had seen. He tried not to recall those drunken nights when they would just tumble down on that very same bed, drunk, messy and so horny. 

And so in love. 

Well, one was in love. 

Harry smiled to himself. 

After this night, the bed would forget him. 

Arthur would take his spot. Arthur would be the omega to know the dip of the mattress against his back. Arthur would be the omega to know the left side of the bed. Arthur would erase the memories as he would wake up beside Louis every day from then on. 

The room would forget Harry. Or the throaty moans he used to let out. The room would adapt Arthur’s voice, his smell. Harry would be a long-lost shag. 

Harry let the pain settle against his chest. He looked at the bedside table, the scratched surface with that almost broken lamp. How much Harry loved leaving his things in that drawer, just knowingly forget them in there so that he could come back to collect them. 

Harry chuckled. 

He looked around the room as he pulled the quilt over his chin. He remembered Louis kissing him just against that door or the wall beside that door, Harry did not really remember. Harry could see the ripped calendar on the wall. He had ripped it when Louis was holding him up against the wall beside it as he slammed in and push out of Harry. 

Harry remembered the scratches against the bedposts, where Louis used to bind his wrists. 

Not his anymore.

“Enjoying the nap?”

Harry peeked out of the quilt and smiled. 

“Not really,” he tried to bury more in that soft quilt when Louis stepped forward, “this cover needs washing. It’s greasy almost.”

Louis sat beside Harry, smiling down at him as much as Harry could see. 

“You love it,” Louis said, whispered almost. 

Harry opened his right eye and stared at the alpha. Louis was looking down at him with a hint of a smile gracing his lips. It felt like he was telling Harry that he knew that Harry loved it. 

Harry sighed, smiling, “Arthur might not.”

=== 

“Arthur might not.”

Louis blinked. 

Arthur might not. 

Arthur was going to come back here. They were going to share the bed if Louis invited him here tonight. They might have sex. 

Louis blinked down at Harry. 

The omega was smiling at him. His nose was red and so were his cheeks. Louis took in the omega’s hair, shorter but it was enough to create a mess on the pillowcases. Those fingers were gripping the quilt closer to his chest. 

Louis reached out, tucking a stray hair behind Harry’s ear. Harry closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek against Louis’ pillows. He looked soft, so pliant and so sleepy. Almost like a kitten. 

Louis’ inside twisted. 

He had never really looked at Harry when the omega used to stay the night with him. He would just count the hours until Harry would leave so that he could sleep there, alone. He never really liked having Harry’s smell all over his bed. Louis was never fond of the way Harry would demand that grey pillow for himself. 

_“The white one is rough, Lou! It hurts my neck!”_

He looked down to see that Harry was sleeping on that white one. 

“Is it hurting your neck?” he had to ask. 

Harry blinked, looking at him and then at the pillow under his head. Then he smiled, shaking his head.

“Not really. It’s fine,” Harry whispered. 

Louis tilted his head sideways, “see. I told you that so many times! You wouldn’t listen.”

Harry giggled, shrugging, “I was biased. Loved that grey one more than this one, I guess.”

Louis felt the tug in his heart. He took the grey pillow from where it was perched on the bedpost. He patted it for a few moments to fluff it up and then nudged it under Harry’s head wordlessly. Harry let him, hiding his face in the surface as soon as the pillow was tucked underneath his head. Louis saw the smile Harry’s lips formed when the omega inhaled the smell. Just like muscle memory. 

Louis could not look away. 

“Go and bring me some shirts, Lou! I need to select something for your date!” Harry said, his eyes were still closed. 

Louis nodded wordlessly and stood up. 

Shirts. 

Date. 

Arthur. 

Right.

=== 

“I look like bonkers!” Louis exclaimed. His eyes took in the shirt he was wearing and he could not understand why it was there in his closet anyway. He would never buy something so floral for himself. He was sure it was Zayn’s or maybe he bought it when he was completely pissed drunk.

Harry was sitting on the bed, back resting against the headboard and laughing at Louis’ scandalous expression. The omega was sipping the apple juice he carried around with him. Louis had taken a sip and he had to force himself not to gag. It had beet and carrot with the apples and it tasted awful. It was apparently healthy for pregnancy and good for the babies too. Harry was sipping it as if it was the most delicious thing in the world. Louis would never understand that little shit.

“You look good. Why is it horrible to you?” Harry asked, raising his brows.

Louis glared at him through the mirror, trying not to smile when Harry made a beaming face at him. 

“I am not really into floral. Unlike you, I love solid colours.”

Harry rolled his eyes, “doesn’t matter what you like. What matters is what Arthur likes to see you in.”

Louis chewed his lips, contemplating, “he loves when I wear something with a deep neck. Where it shows my collarbones.”

Harry nodded, chewing the juice he was having. Louis let out a laugh. 

“Are you seriously chewing the juice?” Louis asked. 

Harry did not even bother to answer him as he slid out of the bed. Louis watched him coming closer to him and then Harry was peering over Louis’ shoulder. 

“If you don’t want to wear anything floral, just wear something elegant,” Harry said, pushing Louis away from the closet slightly. 

Louis stepped back, letting Harry see his clothes and just standing there. He saw Harry’s eyes scanning the racks. 

“What do you mean?” Louis asked, trying to see where Harry’s eyes were set. 

Harry sighed, “What I am saying is, white is always elegant and completely sexy for a date,” he turned to shove two white button-downs at Louis’ chest with a grin, “pair them with deep blue jeans and you are winning.”

Louis chuckled, taking the shirts from Harry. He stood there still, watching Harry as the omega bent down to pull out some jeans. 

“Here,” Harry said, huffing. 

Louis nodded, taking the jeans and the shirts with him. 

“Go, get ready. I will make something to eat,” Harry said, ushering Louis away from the closet. 

Louis turned to face him, “are you sure you want to make something? Order in something if you want?”

Harry made a face, “No. I am making something. You go and give me a trial.”

Louis watched the omega as Harry started walking towards the door. Harry had his hands around his belly as he walked. The bump was not that visible under his oversized hoodie. Louis smiled when he heard the whistle as Harry stepped out of the room. 

Louis went into his bathroom to shower first. He sighed as the lukewarm water hit his taut muscles. It was going to be a long day.

=== 

Louis came out of the room to hear laughter from the kitchen. Harry was giggling to something and Louis could not hear someone else. He stepped out of his room and walked into the kitchen to see that Zayn was chopping something as Harry sat on the countertop. Harry looked happy, so very pleasant as Zayn rambled about some artistic painting he was doing.

“Blue is a nice colour, you know? It goes well with everything,” Harry was saying. 

Zayn nodded, “yeah. It goes well with black too. I am thinking about just colouring the eyes and leaving everything in shadows. It will give the painting a…” he stopped to find the right words, his expression focused. 

“A mysterious aura?” Harry asked, his smile deep. Louis watched as Zayn nodded, laughing when Harry clapped. 

“Right, mysterious aura,” Zayn said, slicing a potato. His smile was wide as he looked at Harry. 

“When I first met you, I was sure that you are some kind of drug dealer or something,” Harry said slowly, his dimples were on full display. 

A squeak escaped Zayn’s lips, “why? Why would you think so?”

Harry shrugged, Louis could see the glint in those green eyes from even that much distance. The omega was teasing Zayn. Flirting.

Louis shifted on his feet. 

“I don’t know, maybe because you were wearing all black and looked so broody and all? I was sure that you have spiked my drink.”

They both laughed. 

“Enjoying the chatter, I see,” Louis announced his presence. Harry turned slightly to face him. Louis noticed his smile widening and Zayn just rolled his eyes with a soft smile at Louis. Louis ignored Zayn and came to stand beside Harry, leaning on the counter to look up at the omega. 

“You came here to make lunch,” he smiled when Harry pouted. 

“Zayn wouldn’t let me. He literally forced me to sit on the counter and now look at him,” then Harry was grinning, “he is making us spaghetti.” He let out a dreamy sigh, “God! Perrie is so lucky to have you, Zayn!”

Zayn’s cheeks heated up. Louis frowned at Harry. 

“Why is Perrie lucky to have this fucker?”

Harry’s eyes widened, he swatted at Louis’ shoulder with an offensive tilt of his lips and his brows furrowed. 

“Hey! Don’t swear in front of the babies, mister!” 

Louis blinked as Harry placed his hands protectively over his stomach, looking at him with a pout. When he looked at Zayn, the alpha was shrugging. 

“Umm… Haz? They can’t really hear you,” Louis said, looking disbelievingly at the omega. 

Harry’s eyes shifted towards his swelled tummy and then back up at Louis’ face. The omega looked annoyed. 

“Yes, they can. I talk to them every day. I read them bedtime stories. Niall talks to them. Liam once said hello to them,” then his face brightened up, “Dylan greets them every day.”

Louis looked at Harry’s tummy and then up at his face. He was not sure how to feel about the situation. He was hopelessly endeared and at the same time, unbelievably puzzled. Harry talked to the babies. Not only Harry but also Niall, Liam and Dylan did too!

“They can hear you?” Louis asked. 

Harry shrugged, “I don’t know but I feel good when I talk to them and I think they hear me so no swearing.”

Louis nodded dumbly, looking at Zayn when the alpha snorted. 

“Both of you are fucking idiots!”

That earned Zayn a glare from Harry and a smack on his head from Louis. They both scolded the alpha together.

"Language!"

=== 

It was decided that Louis would drop Harry off to his flat and then go to pick up Arthur.

Louis sprayed the perfume on his chest and wrists. He looked over his shoulder to see that Harry was pulling out his handkerchief and a matching watch. Louis stopped for a second to just stare at the omega. 

Harry was tired, Louis could see that in that heavy blink of those eyes. He could feel the yawns Harry was hiding from him. He had noticed how the omega was dozing off time to time. 

Now, as he stood under the fluorescent lights of the wardrobe, he looked exhausted. He looked so fragile. Louis’ heart thumped against his chest. 

Harry was not fine. 

He tried not to look at the bond-mark. Harry had tactfully hidden it under a blue bandana. Louis could not see the mark but he could see the stains. It was not healed. Louis wanted to ask how the mark was but how could he bring it up without feeling like an utter dick?

“Where is your wallet?”

Harry’s question made Louis blink. He blinked for some time and then pointed at the desk at the corner of his room. 

“In the drawer.”

Harry pulled the wallet out and placed it on the bed, beside the handkerchief and watch. He sighed with a smile. 

“Gosh, everything is going perfect,” Harry said, sitting down on the bed. 

“How do you know that everything is going perfectly?” Louis asked, amused. 

Harry shrugged, “well, I have this image in my head. How a perfect first date should be like and this one is just going down that path.”

Louis turned to face the omega, folding the sleeves of the shirt. He walked closer and stood in front of Harry. Harry looked up at him, grinning. 

“And what do you have in your head?” Louis asked, sitting down beside Harry on the bed. 

Harry slumped down on the bed. His eyes were on the ceiling as a dreamy smile illuminating his face. Louis moved to arrange himself beside Harry, arranging himself in a way where he could look down at Harry’s face. 

Harry sighed, his eyes gleaming. 

“Well,” he started softly, “I would like him to bring me a flower. Purple roses to be specific.” He glanced at Louis, “you know what a purple rose means, Lou?”

Louis shook his head, his voice stuck somewhere in him as he watched Harry. 

Harry looked back at the ceiling and sighed happily, “It conveys that you have fallen in love with the recipient at the very first sight. It makes it clear that you are in for everything if that person is there with you.”

He then giggled, “I would like my first date to be cosy. In the flat. We will order in and watch something romantic on the TV and then we might cuddle,” Louis watched how Harry’s face morphed into a smile, “he will stay with me as I cry while watching the movie. We will talk about everything and nothing. The silence would be comfortable and then we might kiss a little bit? Nothing too much as I don’t want to put out on the first date.” Louis coughed out a laugh as Harry joined in, “and something like that? I don’t know. I am happy with little things.”

Louis coughed, nodding and then looking down at his uneven sleeves. He folded the right one again and measured it with the left one. Done. 

“Umm…” he coughed, looking at the watch. 

Harry sighed exasperatedly, “I know. I know. You hate wearing wristwatches but wear it, Louis. It will look so dashing with the shirt.”

Louis chuckled, looking at Harry’s eager expression. 

“Fine.”

=== 

Louis stopped the car in front of Harry’s building and turned to face the omega. Harry was unbuckling the seatbelt and his lips were pressed together as he concentrated on the work.

Louis reached out when Harry just fumbled with the belt but could not just open it. He slowly opened it and freed the omega. Harry looked up at him, flustered and thankful. Harry sighed, smiling at him. 

“Thank you for the lift, Lou.”

Louis nodded, unable to say anything. He tried to catalogue the way Harry’s dimples shone under the streetlights or the way the omega’s eyes glinted as he stared at Louis. Louis’ heart skipped when Harry reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind Louis’ ear. The omega pulled away just after doing it. 

“Be a gentleman. Open doors for him,” Louis chuckled as he rolled his eyes at Harry but Harry went on, “make sure to tell him that he looks beautiful.”

Louis bit down on his smile, “what if he is not looking good?”

Harry glared at him, “then lie to him. Goodness, Lou! Listen to me when I am talking.”

Louis banged his forehead on the steering wheel, making the horn blow off. 

“You have told me this so many times that I will never forget it. Open the door for him, tell him he is beautiful, pay the bill, be kind and don’t run your mouth. Ask him if he wants to go somewhere else if he looks uncomfortable. Ask before kissing him what else?”

Harry huffed, “thank him for giving you an opportunity because you surely don’t deserve one!”

With that Harry was opening the door of the car and stepping out. Louis laughed, reaching out to hold Harry’s wrist. Harry tried to wrestle his wrist free but Louis held on. 

With an audible sigh, Harry looked back. 

“Call me,” Louis whispered, his eyes taking in the omega, “call me if you need something. Don’t hesitate. Please, Haz,” he looked down at his knees and then looked up to meet the omega’s eyes again, “promise me that you will call me if you need something.”

Harry shook his head, a mischevious smile on his face, “No, I won’t. I will be fine. Just stop thinking about me. It’s your night, Lou. Your and Arthur’s. Don’t think of me. I will be fine.”

Louis looked on as Harry pushed the door closed and walked up to the steps of his building. 

He went in without looking back. 

Louis was not sure why that made his heart squeeze a little bit.

=== 

Louis was no poet. He could not describe his feelings through words. He had no words to describe how Arthur looked.

In that blue shirt and khaki pants, the omega looked phenomenal. Well, Louis had no other words in his dictionary. 

“Hi,” Arthur said, leaning forward to give Louis a peck on his lips. Louis sucked in a breath and tried to collect his thoughts. 

“Hi,” he said. 

“Hand him the flowers. Tell him that he looks beautiful.”

Louis handed Arthur the single tulip he had in his hands. Arthur smiled, his cheeks red if Louis noticed it correctly. 

“You look gorgeous,” Louis whispered. He was not lying. Arthur smiled anyway, ducking his face. 

“Thank you, Lou.”

Something clunked, breaking the soft tune that was playing in Louis’ mind. The rhythm was halted suddenly. 

_Lou._

Did not sound the way it should. 

Louis shrugged it off, opening the door of the car for the omega. Arthur shot him a smile and slid in. As he slipped in, his smell hit Louis’ nose. Something like sandalwood. 

The smell of lilac and honey was melting away under Arthur’s scent. Arthur’s scent was washing away the smell Harry had left behind. 

Louis gripped the door-handle and shut the door with force. He rounded the car and hopped in. 

“Where are we going?” Arthur asked as soon as the car was gearing up. Louis smiled. He knew how excited the omega was. He was excited too. 

“You will see.”

=== 

As the waitress served the desert, Arthur made a face.

“What is this, Louis?”

Louis smiled down at the Coconut-Lime-guava cake. His smile widened. 

“It’s really amazing, Arthur. Just have a slice.”

Arthur shook his head, scrunching up his nose, “no, Lou. I don’t really like the scent of coconut and lime together. Can we order something else?” 

Louis looked down at the cake on their table and sighed. That screechy sound was buzzing in his ears. The tune was breaking from time to time. The fine tune of his mind was coming to a halt time to time. 

“Yeah,” he waved a waitress over, “sure, Arthur.”

When the waitress came to stand in front of them, Louis nudged the menu towards Arthur.

“Choose whatever you like, babe.”

Arthur flushed as the endearment and pulled the menu towards him. 

Louis looked down at the Coconut-lime-guava cake. His heart frisked in his chest. 

“Coconut-lime-guava cake is the best cake for a fancy dessert, Lou. I love how the pungent taste blends with the coconut flavour. You need to take a small bite and roll it on your tongue.”

Louis shook his head physically, blinking back to reality. Arthur was talking to the waitress.

“Is it fine with you?” the omega asked. 

Louis nodded, not sure what the question was, “yeah. It’s fine.”

Arthur smiled.

=== 

Louis had no idea what to do after the dinner was done. He was not sure what to do. What normal people do after the dinner? Bring their dates home? Louis looked down at his watch. It was just half-past nine. He looked at his date. Arthur was wiping his face with the tissue and Louis was not sure what to propose after that.

Arthur saved him.

“Do you want to come back to my place?” the omega asked, his eyes twinkling, “we can maybe watch something and just enjoy a quiet night in?”

Louis nodded eagerly, grinning at him. They walked side by side towards the car parking. Louis blinked down when Arthur took his hand in his and when he looked up, Arthur was not looking at him. There was a smile on the omega’s face. Louis could not help the butterflies in his stomach. He squeezed their hands together, earning a soft glance from the omega. 

Louis loved him so much.

=== 

Kissing Booth.

Louis could not really say that he liked the concept or the movie. It was too cheesy and school going type. He looked down at the omega. Arthur’s head was resting on Louis’ shoulder and his eyes were set on the television. Louis leaned closer, inhaling the smell. He loved how Arthur smelled. 

“It has been so long since we last met. Almost two weeks or more so,” Arthur said, placing a kiss on Louis’ earlobe. Louis shivered, trying to concentrate on Arthur’s words. 

“We talked every day.”

“Is it the same thing?” Arthur pouted, “I am your boyfriend, Lou. I want your attention and I want to see you more often. You are always busy with Harry. See, I understand that he is having your babies and you need to keep an eye on him but you get so invested…”

Louis shook his head, “he is my friend, Arthur. I am invested because he is my friend. It’s not like I am always with him. No. I just picked up two more jobs. I am having two babies, Arthur. I have to save up for them. They are my responsibility.”

Arthur nodded, “I understand that, Louis. But think about it, Harry is like…” he blinked up at Louis, “he loves you. He had said it himself. I am your boyfriend, Lou. I don’t really trust him. He calls you up for no reason. He just wants your attention.”

Something was stabbing on Louis’ heart. Harry had never called him up. He had never mentioned that confession ever again. He was in a hospital and he had lied so that Louis could spend some time with Arthur. 

He did not like the way Arthur was speaking about Harry. 

“He is not like that, Arthur. He never calls me up for my attention. He is not really stuck on me. In fact, he helped me to prepare for our date.”

It was maybe not something Arthur was ready to hear. The omega went stiff in Louis’ embrace. He blinked up at Louis and his expression was stormy. 

Louis watched Arthur shaking off his hand and sitting up straighter. He looked at Louis’ outfit and laughed. 

“That is why you look so plain. He was subtly trying to sabotage our date, Lou. Can’t you see?”

Louis frowned, “what do you mean?”

Arthur laughed, “Look at you! It looks like you didn’t even try to find a nice shirt. Just a white button-up and jeans. How could you even ask him to help you? Why would he help you for no fucking reason? He loves you, Lou. Still, he wants to set you up with me? Does it make sense in your head? It doesn’t in mine. He is just trying to look good in front of you and practically ruining our time together.”

Louis sat up properly, turning to face the omega. The film was forgotten as they kept arguing. 

“How did he ruin it, Arthur? I am here. You are here. We enjoyed our time together. We are still enjoying each other’s company. You are bringing Harry up. He did not even call or message me. How is he ruining anything?”

Arthur let out a disbelieving laugh, “are you serious? I am not saying that I am not enjoying my time. I am just saying, why do you depend on him so much? Why did you ask him to help you? I don’t feel comfortable that way, Louis. I don’t want to hear about him all the time. Harry is an amazing person but he is still the one you fucked for so long. I have the right to feel insecure.”

Louis gaped at the omega, “are you serious? Whatever I had with Harry is over. There is nothing going on between us, Arthur! You have to believe it!”

Arthur shook his head, “how can I believe it, Louis, when all you talk about is him? Do you even realize how much you talk about him? I am not saying about the babies. No. Harry. You mention him in almost your every sentence. He is always in your thoughts. You told me that Harry wore this bandana better as soon as you saw me. How am I supposed to take it, Louis?”

Louis bulked. Yes, he had said it because it was the truth. Harry looked really good with that blue bandana around his neck. Louis had just pointed that out. How was it wrong?

“I don’t understand what is the problem, Arthur? I just said it as it was. It’s not like I am saying I love him for that.”

Arthur shook his head, “I don’t know, Louis. I don’t know what to think when all you talk about is Harry.”

Louis wanted to protest. He opened his mouth to do so but Arthur was stopping him. 

“Do you remember what I wore last Monday to uni?”

Louis blinked at the omega. How was that important?

“Shirt and Jeans?” he said, confused. 

Arthur laughed, short and pointed, “Right. What Harry wore that day, Lou?”

Last Monday Harry wore a white shirt with a print that literally looked like sperm on the shirt. Those were black sperms as Louis had pointed out, he had laughed at the omega for the whole day. Louis could feel a smile tugging up his lips as he remembered the day. 

“Black jeans with holes on his knees and a button-down shirt that had sperm printed on it,” Louis said. 

When he looked at Arthur, the omega was watching him with a prolonging smile. 

“See, Lou,” he whispered, “you remember what Harry wore so thoroughly but you don’t even try with me.”

Louis shook his head, offended, “no, Arthur. What are you talking about? It is not like that! I just remember it because I got to tease him about it for the whole day. That is the only reason.”

Arthur shrugged, sipping the beer in his hand, “anyway, forget it.”

It sounded dismissive but Louis knew that Arthur was hurt and he could not understand the reason. Harry was not between them. He was not even the problem.

“Why are you upset, Arthur? I don’t think I would love someone as much as I love you. You don’t even know for how long I was waiting for this to happen,” Louis took the omega’s hand in his and gave it a firm squeeze, “I don’t think anyone will ever match up to this level.”

Arthur looked down at their joined hands and sighed, “You love me?”

Louis nodded eagerly. He would do anything to make the omega happy. He wanted to see Arthur smile. 

“Yes, of course. I love you.”

Arthur looked at him, something intense swirling in his eyes. Then he was sitting up, pushing away the pillow from Louis’ lap. Louis watched, transfixed, as the omega leisurely swung his left leg over Louis’ lap. Then Arthur was sitting down on Louis’ lap, grinding down once. Louis groaned, grasping the omega’s hip to steady him. When their eyes met, Arthur leaned forward to kiss Louis. 

The kiss was filthy, promising something more as Arthur kept rolling his arse on Louis’ lap. Exactly on his crotch. 

“I can be all yours, Lou,” Arthur panted against his lips, “if you promise me…”

Louis leaned forward, chasing those lips, “anything. Anything you want.”

Arthur started unbuttoning his shirt, leaning forward to let Louis sniff his neck, “you will stay away from Harry.”

.

.

Ice-cold water was splashed on Louis. He blinked, looking over at the omega on his lap. He could not really understand what he had just said. He blinked, trying to clear the fog from his brain. 

What?

“What?” His voice was hoarse. 

Arthur ground his arse once more but this time Louis stopped him. 

“What are you saying, Arthur? Say it clearly.”

Arthur shrugged off his shirt, letting it fall to the ground, “I am all yours to have, Louis. Just promise me that you will stay away from Harry. You will stop talking to him. Just pay the bills and everything but you will stop meeting him. Promise me, Lou.”

Louis tried to breathe. His eyes scanned the omega’s face to point out the mirth but no. Arthur was not joking. He was serious. He wanted Louis to just stay away from Harry. 

“He is having…”

Arthur kissed him again, pushing forward, “I know, baby,” he whispered against Louis’ lips.

“He is having your babies. You care about your babies and that is absolutely fine. They are not here yet, Lou. You should just pay for them and stay away from Harry. Harry loves you. He wants you. I need the assurance, sweets.”

Louis could not breathe. He pushed away a bit, leaning against the backrest of the sofa. He stared at the ceiling as Arthur kissed his jaw-line. 

“As your omega, I deserve the assurance, baby,” Arthur was going down. 

Louis could not breathe. 

He closed his eyes as Arthur opened the buttons of his jeans. 

“Promise me, Lou.”

Louis reached out, grasping Arthur’s hair in his hand…

“Just…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? Leave comments. x


	7. Chapter - 7

_Soft, green eyes peered up at him as Louis dragged the smoke into his lungs. He could feel the omega’s eyes on him as he let out the first ring of smoke. Louis let out two more before looking down._

_A smile was his greeting and that irked Louis. Why did the omega smile so much? Why was everyone so happy around him when he felt like a miserable piece of shit?_

_“What?” he snapped, looking at those droopy eyes._

_The omega blinked, the smile not even dimming the slightest._

_“You look beautiful when you smoke. You should not smoke but…”_

_Louis scoffed, inhaling more deeply, maybe just to prove a point that he did not care about the omega’s opinion._

_“How is your arse?”_

_Harry shrugged, moving a bit to get comfortable on the bed. Louis noticed how the duvet slipped and now he could see the arch of his hips, where the bum started._

_“Good, yeah.”_

_Louis nodded, stubbing the cigarette on the ashtray on the bedside table. He slipped under the duvet and closed his eyes, sighing._

_“Close the door when you leave. No need to wait if you are feeling good.”_

_There was no answer. Louis blinked, looking over._

_Those green eyes were awake now, startled. Those lips opened to form words and Louis shook his head._

_“Not now, Harry. I am tired. Can you stop talking for at least a minute? Jesus! It looks like you are always talking. All the bloody time.”_

_He closed his eyes again._

_There was a movement. Then some clattering noise. His bathroom door opened and closed. The shower was on._

_Louis waited. Impatient._

_Harry came back to wear his discarded clothes and Louis watched. He could not help but notice every movement the omega made. It was something Louis could never ignore. He felt addicted to Harry when the omega moved, jumped or slammed against something. Louis could never look away from the clumsy mess that was Harry Styles. When he was done, Harry turned to face the bed._

_Shit! Was not he done talking?_

_Louis closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep._

_He watched through his eyelashes as Harry walked closer and leaned forward. There was a moment those lips hovered over Louis’ lips and then Harry moved over._

_Louis stayed completely still as those lips touched his forehead. Harry sighed._

_“Sleep well, Boo.”_

_Then he was retreating back, leaving._

_Louis turned over when the door was closed behind Harry. Then his eyes fell on the clock on the bedside table._

_It was three in the morning._

========= 

Louis was not sure why his mind went back there. He was not sure why his heartfelt heavy suddenly or why the middle of his chest felt hollow. He could not breathe and that was not because Arthur was kissing his dick. No.

He could not understand why suddenly a thought struck his brain. 

What if Harry was attacked on the road that night or any other night when Louis literally kicked him out of his flat? What if the omega was found on the street, used and left alone to die?

Harry never complained. 

Louis’ eyes suddenly moistened and all he could think about was, Harry. 

Shit. 

_I am so sorry._

Louis could not forgive himself for thinking, even for a second, about Arthur’s offer.

No!

Arthur squeaked as Louis almost pushed him away, standing up to zip his jeans. 

“Wha-what happened, Lou?”

Louis shook his head, he could not breathe. Was someone sucking away air from his lungs? Louis could not fucking breath. 

Shit!

Louis hastily pulled up his shirt, buttoning it. Shit, he could not see properly. His eyes were hazy. He could feel the guilt washing over him, wave after wave. It happened so long ago. Technically he knew that Harry was fine but he could not stand to stay away anymore. He wanted to see the omega and assure his own heart that, yes, Harry was indeed fine. 

The urge was blinding. The itch under his skin was unfathomable. 

“I-I need to leave. Harry,” Louis pulled the jeans up, zipping it.

“Louis-Lou, wait, what? What happen…”

Louis shuffled away from the omega, going for the door and almost breaking out of the flat. 

He could feel the pain intensifying as soon as his mind went back to those times when he had told Harry to leave. In the middle of the night. Alone. Smelling like sex. Defenceless.

Shit!

The pain in Louis’ chest was unbearable. His eyes clouded up as he stumbled over to his car.

========= 

Harry watched himself in the mirror with the jeans unbuttoned. His belly was too plump to get in the jeans. The button was simply not getting in the hole! Harry sighed, sucking his breath in and trying to redo the button and nope. It would not happen.

He had to tie a rubber-band around the button and tie it up. He hated it!

Harry let the breath go, sighing. He sagged, glaring at his face in the mirror. 

His face. God! His face!

Even his face was rounder now. Chubbier. The jaw-line was not even visible anymore. Harry loved his jaw-line! The dark circles were getting bigger day by day and his hair had lost its gloss. His cheeks were paler than normal and he felt blotchy. 

He looked down. His nipples were perked up and he could see the way his breast line was more visible. It was sensitive, would throb time to time. Harry hated that. It was storing milk for the babies. Harry was not sure that would be needed. 

His stomach had a single stretch mark now. Just one. It went from the underside of his belly to the inner side of his left thigh. More would come. Harry knew that. No matter how much oil he rubbed on his skin or even butter, it was inevitable. 

His legs were always sore nowadays. His back hurt, along with his hips. If he was standing up for too long, his thighs would protest, shaking with the effort. His ankles looked fat! Harry could not even fathom that yet.

And he was always sweating. Bloody sweating through whatever he wore. He could not keep his hair down, always had to put them up in a bun or knot. Harry sighed, shaking his head.

“The next stage is horniness. You might want a knot up your arse almost all the time.” Niall had said, reading aloud from the internet. 

Harry had smacked his head, mortified. 

Niall had no qualms of boundaries, had he?

“Shut up, Niall! What the hell?”

Niall had shrugged, looking unbothered, “What? I am just reading what is written here. No need to be violent with me. Now,” he had squirmed on the sofa, making himself comfortable between those pillows, “with whom you may do the dirty? Do you have someone in mind?”

Harry had stared at him, confused, “do what?”

Niall had rolled his eyes, “the knotting thing. Who’s gonna help you with that? Any alpha you know?”

Harry had kicked him, “go away, Niall!”

Harry smiled at himself in the mirror, thinking about how supportive Niall was throughout the whole ordeal. 

Harry was lucky if he could say so himself. He had his parents who supported him. Anne was begging to give him a visit but Harry had denied. He was busy here, what with the exams coming and studies he had to do. Gemma was already asking him when she could visit. Harry was telling her to come after his exam. It was right around the corner. After that, they could meet up and simply have some bonding. 

Harry had a plan. He had given it a lot of thought and he was almost certain that he wanted to do that. 

He wanted to go back to the UK. He wanted his baby to be born where he grew up. He wanted them to visit that house, even if they were not born, at least once in their lifetime. What if Louis never took them there? Harry wanted them to know his hometown. His neighbourhood. 

He was a sap. He knew. 

But there was another reason. A very selfish reason of his own. 

He wanted to leave this place. A place that took everything from him. Harry did not really get something from this place, except a broken heart and tears. He wanted to visit his home before, if, he died. He wanted to be where his loved ones were. 

He wanted to leave Louis behind. The alpha was finally happy with Arthur, they were a couple now and Harry knew. He had seen it in Arthur’s eyes. The omega was insecure about Harry’s friendship with Louis. Harry could not let Arthur feel like that. In every universe, Louis belonged to Arthur and Harry did not want to create a problem for them. That was unnecessary and unwanted.

Niall had disagreed, he had protested vehemently. He was adamant that Harry was being too giving but even he could not deny when Harry had told him that he wanted to visit his home and simply spent his time there. 

“Why are you so negative? You can live, Harry. You need to have the positive outlook. Why are you giving up?”

Harry hated when Niall cried but Niall was in tears as they argued. 

“I am not giving up, Niall. I am not dropping out of university, can’t you see? I am taking a leave. A maternity leave. I will come back if everything goes fine. I will finish my course. I just…” he had inhaled, trying not to tear up again, “I want to visit my parents. I want to see my house where I grew up before the childbirth. What if something happens? I don’t want to leave like that…”

Niall had looked reluctant but he had not said anything after that, asking about his plan.

Harry had his last exam in four days. He would leave after that, just the next day. Harry had booked his ticket. He was going home. 

He looked at the bedside table, his ticket was there. Their final exam was in April, so Harry had time if he survived. He hoped he did. 

Even if he did, he would be so busy with the babies. He hoped he got the time to study and take care of them at the same time. 

He pulled off the pant, opting for khaki shorts and a low-cut black tank-top. His eyes found the mark easily, like a magnet, it always demanded his attention. Harry sighed, it was not throbbing like most of the days but it was aching, dull but the pain and burning were there. 

Harry scratched it absentmindedly, looking at the tickets. He needed to study and his stomach growled. He needed to eat first. Nowadays he felt like a whale, eating almost all the time. Well, Niall had a competitor now. 

He stepped out of his room, rolling his eyes fondly when he remembered that Niall had gone to Liam’s. He was not sure if Niall was pulling a Pheobe on him or not. Maybe he did not live in this flat anymore! 

Harry shook his head, “stop thinking nonsense!”

He walked towards the kitchen, thinking about the takeout menu he had added in their collection last week. 

“Let’s order something, yeah?” he whispered to his belly, caressing it, “I want something spicy. Are you gonna be okay with it, bubs? Don’t make me throw up, yeah?”

He jumped when there was a loud knock. Well, a bang against the main door. 

Harry stared at the door and then back at the clock on the wall. 

Who was here at this time of the night? Niall had a key and he never left without it. 

“Wh-who is it?” he asked, tentatively walking forward.

========= 

Louis waited, trying to ease out his breathing. Okay. Nothing was wrong with this plan. There was nothing wrong with what he did. It was simply a hangout plan. Nothing too much.

The door opened.

Louis looked at the person standing in front of him, his heartbeat speeding up with uncertainty. 

“Hi,” he whispered. 

Harry looked downright shocked. His eyes wide and hand still on the knob. He opened his mouth to say something and pressed his lips back close. 

Louis smiled, tension ebbing off as he forwarded what he had in his right hand. He cursed himself when he saw how his hand was shaking. 

Harry looked down at the outstretched hand and then furrowed his brows, his lips pulling down in confusion. He looked like a soft kitten and Louis wanted to hide him in his chest pocket. 

“Wha-,” Harry whispered, “what is this?”

Louis shrugged, “looks like white orchids to me. What do you think?”

His chest was contrasting, thinking about Arthur’s words. He could feel his chest bursting with pain and sorrow. How could he abandon this boy? How could he even think about it?

Louis shook off those thoughts, looking at Harry hopefully. 

Harry took the flowers slowly, tentative and hesitant. He looked like a scared puppy who was not sure how to receive the fondness he suddenly got. Fearful. 

That hurt Louis even more. 

“Why…” Harry trailed off, looking at it and then back at Louis, “why are you giving me this?”

Louis huffed, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jacket, rolling his eyes, “will you at least let me in? I am freezing my balls here.”

Harry blinked, shaking his head and smiling a little, “yeah. Sorry. Come in.”

Louis walked in, looking around and opting to go for the kitchen stool. He sat and Harry followed, closing the door behind him. 

“Where is Niall?” Louis looked around.

Harry shrugged, “with Liam. He is close to his heat. Almost clinging to Liam.”

Louis blinked, right. 

He watched Harry walking around the counter, looking for something. 

Louis watched the omega, taking in his shape and changes. His eyes trailed over Harry, cataloguing almost everything. 

Harry pulled out a simple vase, pouring water into it. He placed the orchids in it and looked at Louis.

“Come to my room, yeah?”

Louis nodded, following Harry wordlessly. Louis was not sure why he was here, in this flat. 

All he knew was, he had driven for thirty minutes to find a flower shop that was open and had bought the flowers after Googling the meaning of it. 

White orchid’s spiritual meaning was beauty and elegance. Two words that always came to Louis’ mind when he thought about Harry. 

Then he had driven here, after ordering Harry’s favourite food. 

He hoped it came soon. He was hungry. I hoped Harry had not eaten.

When he walked into Harry’s room, the omega was placing the vase on his study table. Louis sat on his bed, looking at Harry. 

“Why are you here?” Harry asked, coming up to him and sitting beside him. 

Louis did not want to talk about it. Well, he did not know why he was there anyway. Why did he run? Why did he switch off his phone when Arthur kept calling? Why was he so jittery? Why he felt so restless?

“I can’t come to meet my babies now?” he asked, trying to tease the omega. 

Harry looked right through it though, his eyes boring into Louis’. louis sighed, looking over Harry’s shoulder to avoid him. 

“What happened, Louis?”

Louis looked around, his eyes falling on the bed. The books were scattered there, unkempt and used. Harry was studying. 

“When is your last exam? What’s your plan after that?” he asked, pulling a book on his lap. 

Harry placed his hand on the book when Louis went to open it. Louis looked up, his eyes easily tracing the worry-lines on Harry’s forehead. 

“What happened, Lou? How was the date?”

Louis did not want to talk about it. He did not want to tell Harry. But Harry looked persistent. His eyes glued on Louis’ face and his face muscles tensed. 

“What about the date, Harry? It went well,” Louis said, looking at the omega to assure him. 

Harry bit his lips, “then why are you suddenly here?”

Louis shrugged, looking down and opening the book in his lap. 

He stilled when the book opened, his eyes on a letter. 

“A maternity leave application?”

Louis pulled it out of the book, unfolding it. 

“Louis, reading someone’s private letters is not right,” Harry said, trying to pull the letter away from Louis’ hand but Louis grasped Harry’s hand, stopping him.

He read it, stopping to see the leave started from next week. He looked at Harry, noticing how the omega looked. Tensed and reluctant. 

“Why are you taking your maternity leave so soon? Is everything all right?”

Harry looked at the letter, then back at his lap and then at the letter. He did not meet Louis’ eyes. 

There was confusion growing in Louis, making him restless. He looked down at the letter and then back at Harry.

“What is it, Harry? Tell me!”

Harry shrugged, “I…” he looked hesitant, his eyes wide and he looked like he was trying to come up with some excuse. 

“Don’t lie to me, Harry,” Louis said, gripping the letter. Fear was rolling in him, mixed with anxiety and something like hurt. What was Harry hiding?

Harry sagged, his shoulders slumping. He closed his eyes as if getting ready to tell the actual thing. When the omega opened his eyes, he looked at the bedside table. Louis followed his eyes and saw something there. Another paper. 

Before Harry could say anything, Louis was on his feet. He rounded the bed and took the paper from the surface. He furrowed his brows and looked back at Harry. The omega was not looking at him. He was looking at the floor, his head hung low and his posture defeated. 

Louis could not understand. It was a ticket to London and Louis did not know what to think of it. 

“What is going on here?” he asked aloud, looking around the room as if the walls had an answer. 

Harry said nothing, his hands fidgeting with a loose strand of his T-shirt.

Louis came to sit beside Harry, stretching out his hand for Harry, “What is this, Harry?”

Harry looked at the ticket and then back at the leave application and then at his lap. Louis was losing it with worry and he growled.

“What the fuck is going on here, Harry? Tell me!”

Harry jumped, looking at Louis. His eyes were wide and fearful. He looked hesitant and caught off guard at the same time. 

“I miss my mum,” he said then, whispering. 

Louis stared at him and then down at the ticket in his hand, “then ask her to come here. I understand, Harry. Of course, you feel homesick. But the ticket is for London…” he trailed off, confused. 

Harry shook his head, not meeting Louis’ eyes, “I was thinking… maybe, I should, you know, visit her.”

Louis looked at him warily, “now? Do you want to travel that long now? I don’t know, Harry, don’t you think it is a long journey? When are you coming back?”

That got the omega even more fidgety. He looked at the ticket and then at Louis and then at his hands again. Louis did not understand the problem, he had asked a simple question. Right?

“I was thinking,” Harry started, voice soft and so low, “I might not come back.”

.

.

_“I might not come back.”_

Louis’ movements halted. 

_“I might not come back.”_

Louis’ heart stopped, completely, for a fraction of second.

_“I might not come back.”_

Louis blinked, his mouth opening but no words came out.

_“I might not come back.”_

His stomach rolled with some unknown fear.

“What?” He sounded breathless, he felt breathless. 

Harry shrugged, “I miss my hometown, you know? I don’t want my babies to be born here. I want them…”

Louis shook his head, holding up a hand to stop Harry’s rant, “What. What do you mean by you are not coming back? You are leaving? For…” he had to stop, he had to gulp down some air in his lungs to fill the crack on his heart, “you are never coming back?”

Harry shook his head, “no. I will come back. Of course, I will. I study here, Lou.”

Louis wanted to scream at him to explain correctly, he wanted to shake Harry forcefully and demand a proper explanation. He did not understand. He did not understand what Harry was talking about and he did not understand the sense of lose in his heart either. He was confused and he was angry for being confused and he was scared. 

“Then what do you mean when you say that you are not coming back, explain it to me, Harry. I am not getting it!” Louis knew that he sounded harsh but the night was getting worse as the clock ticked away and Louis wanted to just sleep. He felt drained. 

Harry held their eye contact, “I am going to my mum’s for the pregnancy. I want my babies to be born there. In England.”

Louis huffed out a hysteric laugh, shaking his head, “you are telling me that you are leaving and taking away my babies from me. Isn’t it?”

Harry winced, “I will talk to you every day, Louis. I will call, text and we can do video chat.”

Louis rolled his eyes, trying to not break down with frustration building up in his stomach, “right. Yeah. You are just trying to take my babies away from me. I will not be there to actually see them. You are just taking them away.”

Harry desperately reached out for Louis' hand, taking them both in his and squeezing, “I will never do that, Lou. They are your babies too!”

Louis clenched his jaw, staring at Harry’s pained face, “then why are you trying to leave if that is not what you want? You are suddenly declaring that you are leaving. You did not even discuss it. I get a say in all this, don’t you think?”

Harry shook his head, “I know. Of course, I do. I know they are yours. You will have enough time with them, Lou. I promise.”

Louis shook his head, “how exactly? I am here and you are in England. They will never hear my voice. They will never feel my presence. How would they feel when you tell them that their father was not there with their dad throughout the pregnancy?”

There were tears in Harry’s eyes as he tugged at Louis’ palms, trying to get Louis to look at his face, “I will let you tell them about me. I will give them to you. Fully,” Louis blinked, looking up at those eyes, “you can tell them about their dad. You will choose if you even want to tell them about me or not. Completely up to you, Lou. I promise.”

Something was wrong. Why did Harry always talk so hopelessly about the future? Why would he simply give up his babies? Why did he think that Louis would tell them about their dad? Where would he go? Why was Louis alone in his every future depiction?

“Why would I tell them about a person who would be there with them all the time?” Louis asked, confused.

That seemed to break the dam, Harry’s cheeks started glowing as tears rolled down over them, “don’t ask me questions I don’t have answers of, Lou. I just want this, please. Don’t deny me this.”

Louis shook his head, adamant and fearful, “no. You are not getting out of this so easily, Harry. Why do you always talk so hopelessly about the future? Why do you shut me up whenever I try to imagine a future? Why are you always telling me to take care of the babies, where are you going? What is it, Harry?”

Harry shook his head, wiping his eyes and his nose with the back of his hand, “no, I might…”

Louis glared at him, “don’t give me shitty excuses like, ‘what if I get a job,’ and blah blah. I know that is not the reason. Tell me.”

Harry shrugged, “sometimes things don’t work out.”

Louis frowned, “what do you mean?”

Harry looked frustrated, he stood up from the bed and turned to walk away towards the window. His hold on the windowsill was tight as he bit out his next words. 

“What if I don’t make it?”

Something tore in Louis. It felt like someone was tearing his insides like a paper. It hurt, it hurt intensely. The question was like a rubber that erased a line, a beautifully drawn line and made a gap, an ugly gap. That line was supposed to be uninterrupted and now it was broken, not beautiful anymore. 

Louis blinked. He stood up and went to stand beside Harry. He did not face Harry, instead, he looked out at the darkness. The darkness was good, it was comforting. It could hide everything. Everyone. Every emotion.

“Is there a chance that you won’t make it?”

The question sounded heavy and Louis really did not want an answer. 

Harry sighed, “It is a possibility. No?”

Louis shook his head, blinking, “no. Not in my head, no. Tell me if there is a possibility, Harry. I would like to be prepared.”

Harry let out a short laugh, “don’t you know about half-mated pregnancy, Louis?”

Louis blinked, looking at his left hand, Harry’s right hand was just beside him. In his mind, he tried to imagine it gone. His inside churned, something rolled in his stomach, maybe his stomach was rolling itself in knots.

“Tell me,” he said, voice clogged and eyes set on the horizon, unblinking, “tell me.”

Harry sighed, “Tell you what?”

Louis did not blink, he did not want the moisture in his eyes to spread, “tell me if…” he could not breathe, the cool breeze touched his face but they did not reach his lungs, why did not they reach his lungs?

“Tell me the whole truth, Harry,” he said, “I deserve to know.” 

Harry chuckled, “I might not make it through the childbirth.”

Eight words. Eight words strung together and said casually took away Louis’ breath. It took away everything Louis called peace. It was like someone reached inside him and just clamped down on his heart and had pulled it out of his body. His brain was screaming orders for his body to follow but his muscles were in shock. His eyes were still set on the horizon because they could not move. Louis could not fucking move. His lungs burned with the need to air but his nostrils did not work. He heard what Harry said but he could not absorb it. It did not settle in. 

It was an out of body experience. Where Louis was listening to words, voices, the horns of the passing cars down on the street and he knew Harry was standing beside him, quiet but Louis did not feel any of it. 

“What are the chances?” he heard himself asking, his voice gentle but not broken. 

“Of not making it? ninety-nine per cent,” Harry said, his tone light. He was laughing at it. He was laughing at his words. 

The words that had turned Louis’ world upside down. Literally. Louis was not sure how to react. 

“Since when did you know?” Louis asked.

Harry shrugged, “since the starting.”

The bubble burst open. Like a pin was touched against a balloon. Louis’ bubble broke. His eyes were blinking and blood flowing in his veins. Again. His muscles moved and he turned, swiftly and in a blink, he had faced the omega. The pain was blinding, in his body, in his heart, everywhere. It was cursing through Louis. 

“And you did not bother to tell me?” Louis knew he was screaming but he felt like crying and it was not going to happen. He would not cry. No.

Harry did not look startled, he looked calm and composed. 

“It was a bit hard when you wanted nothing to do with me or the babies.”

Louis stumbled back, it was like a push, sudden and hard push. Then he flared his hands, shaking his head.

“I came back. I came back and I never left! Why did not you tell me? Why was it not the first thing I heard?”

Harry shrugged, “I thought you did not care.”

Louis blinked. What?

“What?”

Harry looked at him, his eyes blank but his face was crumbling, “I thought, I did not matter. I did not want to tell you and see the indifference on your face. It would have broken my heart even more.”

Louis could not hold it in anymore. Tears welled up in his eyes as he stared at Harry. His muscles were trying to crumble, breaking and breaking even more. 

“You thought I would not care?”

Harry laughed, short and pained, “you never cared for me, Louis. I was always a convenient fuck to you. You never really talked to me if not in bed. It was always me, following you around and you get irritated. I did not see the importance. The babies were yours, so I told you about them. I was not important. You never cared about my feelings, I don’t blame you for that but you can’t blame me for not telling you either. I was in no position.”

He was not important. Harry was not important. Harry thought he was not important to Louis. 

He thought Louis would not care. 

What hurt the most was; Louis had nothing to deflate Harry’s beliefs. At that time, he really did not care about Harry. Did he? He really gave no fucks about Harry. But even then, never seeing Harry ever again…

It broke Louis’ heart nonetheless.

“I thought,” Harry blinked, wiping at his eyes, “I thought I might give you the babies. A reminder of myself. Maybe when you start a life with Arthur, they would remind you of me. Sometimes. When you look at them. I was selfish, I know.” he laughed, more tears making their way out of his eyes, “but I wanted you to have something that connected me to you. I was desperate. Plus, they are my babies, Louis. They are not even born, I am everything they had. How was I supposed to break their trust and kill them? I could not do it!”

Louis could not fucking stop crying. He could not say anything either. He wiped his eyes furiously, trying to get his composure back. 

Harry’s hands came up to hold his stomach, “they were my consolation price for loving you.”

Louis needed a moment. Louis needed a moment to not break down. Louis needed a moment to calm down his wildly beating heart. 

Harry was speaking, “I could not abort them. I could not tell you. I had no one. Everyone kept telling me, you should do something. What? Kill my babies for my own life? I can’t do it, Louis.”

Louis forced some air into his lungs, “who knows?”

Harry looked at him, “just Niall and Barbara.”

Louis had no words. 

“You did not tell your mum?”

Harry shook his head, “I can’t. I am her son. She will never accept the babies if she knew. I can’t do that.”

Louis turned, walking towards the bed and dropping down on it. He looked at the wall, his hands shaking. 

“Is it because of the unfinished mating?”

Harry sat beside him, saying nothing.

Louis closed his eyes, “please. Don’t hide.”

He heard a sigh, “half of the reason.”

Guilt coated Louis’ heart, he pressed his fists against his eyes and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. 

“What is the other half?”

“Unmated pregnancy.”

Louis laughed this time, loud and honking. He shook his head, hopeless and so broken.

“So I am killing you, literally!”

Harry shook his head, furiously, “it was my decision to keep them.”

Louis snorted, “as if you had a lot of options. Sure.”

Harry reached for his hands, even when Louis flinched and tried to pull away, Harry gripped his hands.

“It is what it is, Louis. We did not have a lot of option. It is what it is, Yeah?”

Louis dared himself to look at those eyes, those calm and peaceful eyes when he felt none of it.

“You are dying, Harry.”

Harry’s eyes shone with unshed tears, he smiled at Louis, soft and small, “I know.”

Louis wanted to scream. He wanted to know why Harry did not tell him. He wanted to know how did not he notice? How was he so wrapped up in himself that he did not notice that Harry was slipping away? He wanted to know how selfless someone had to be to do what Harry did. Louis wanted to stop the time. He wanted to stop the ticking clock and hold Harry, closer and in his arms. Never let go. 

“We have two options,” Harry said, patting Louis’ hands, “we can dwell on the bad news or we can enjoy the journey as it is presented to us. I have chosen my option, Lou.”

Louis looked at him as Harry smiled, “I am going to enjoy the journey and see where it takes me. I am not going to dwell on what ifs or maybes. Everyone has a different time limit in this world and mine is a little shorter than yours. I am fine with it. I don’t want you to look at me and think that my time is coming to an end. I want you to see that I have lived, happily. I want you to remember me, if you do,” he smiled at Louis’ indignant expression, “I want you to remember me for my happy times. Our happy moments. Yeah? Can we do it, Lou?”

Louis could not say anything. How could he agree to Harry when his own guilt was eating him alive? How was he supposed to look at Harry and not think about the doom that was coming? How did he end up here? How was he supposed to accept the fact that in some months, Harry might not be here? 

“How am I supposed to take care of the babies alone? It was your responsibility too,” he croaked out, trying not to cry again. Did he stop crying?

Harry’s smile faltered for a moment but then he shook his head, “you will not be alone. You have our friends. You have our moms and families and above all, you have Arthur. He will be there for you, yeah?”

Arthur. 

Louis thought about him and tried not to fall on his feet and beg Harry to forgive him. For Arthur, he had practically used Harry. He was so rude and indifferent towards Harry that he thought Louis did not care about him. 

“Can I see the reports?” he asked. 

Harry nodded, “yeah, I guess. Yeah.”

Louis watched him go and fetch them. His eyes were on Harry but his mind was whirling. Now he understood Niall’s anger, his bitterness towards him. Now Harry’s health made sense to him. Now he understood why Harry always talked about the present. He never imagined future. He was certain that he would not live. 

Louis frowned. Harry was talking like he was eager to leave. He sounded like he was waiting for the day so eagerly. 

“Here,” Harry handed him the papers. They were a lot of papers. Louis looked through them, reading the analysis and charts. He understood some and did not understand some more. He asked questions, listening to Harry. 

There was a part of Louis that was growing as time went on. A desperate voice in his heart that was forcing him to find something, anything. He was trying to be the positive side of the coin. If Harry was going to be the negative one then Louis wanted to be the positive one in this. He would think about the one per cent chance he got. He would draw new lines for Harry. He would redraw the painting. He would not let anyone erase a single line from it.

He would make Harry see the future and he would not let Harry accept defeat before it was absolutely necessary. And it was not. Harry would not leave. Louis would not let that happen. 

“I will take some photos and send them to my mum. She knows some renowned doctors, I will ask her to do a study over these reports.”

Harry said nothing. He watched Louis as Louis took photos of his reports. 

Louis sighed when the last photo was done and then he looked at Harry, “you will be fine, Harry. I promise.”

Harry just smiled, it looked like he did not believe Louis and well, Louis did not blame him. He did not give Harry a reason to believe him. But he would. He knew that he would. 

“Can I ask something from you?”

Harry nodded, looking at him. 

“Don’t leave, please,” Louis said, begged almost. 

Harry looked hesitant, looking at him and trying to say something.

Louis gripped his hands, “let’s take a trip home, together. Let’s give your family a visit and then go to mine. Then we will be back here. Yeah?”

Harry blinked, looking shocked and then he shook his head, furiously and with a tilt of his lips.

“I can’t do that, no. I don’t want to take you away from Arthur. What would he think?”

Louis clenched his jaw, “I don’t care. Either this or you are not leaving. At all.”

Harry frowned, “you can’t decide that.”

Louis glared at him, “I can and I will. Either we two go and visit our families or none of us leaves this country.”

Harry shook his head, “I can’t… I don’t want to come back. Please.”

Louis sighed, “You have to. You will have an exam in April. If you leave for so long, you will not be able to catch up.”

Harry looked like he was going to say something and Louis wanted him to say it. 

“You are having an exam in April and you are going to attend it, yeah?” Louis said, his tone meaningful, “we can’t afford the time loss. You will be busy with the babies when they come, you might not get a lot of time then, you have to study now.”

Harry shook his head, “I want to give birth there.”

Louis took his hands, “Barbara knows your case history, Harry. She knows everything and you are comfortable around her. You can’t suddenly change the doctor. It’s not good for the babies.”

He knew that reason was bullshit but he knew that Harry would consider it. For the babies, he would do anything for the babies. 

“Harry, please,” Louis said, desperate, “please consider this.”

Harry sighed, looking torn and confused. Before he could say something, the doorbell rang. Both of them looked at the door and Harry frowned.

“Niall is early.”

Louis shook his head, “it’s the food.”

They went to the door together. As Louis opened the door, a delivery boy smiled at them and handed them two packets. 

Louis paid the bill, thanking the boy and closing the door.

“Come on, I am hungry,” Louis said, going to the kitchen.

Harry followed him, “in all this, I forgot to ask you about your date. What happened? Why are you here so early?”

Louis rolled his eyes, “it was fine. Yes, it ended sooner because I did not put out on the first date.”

Harry giggled, coming around the counter to hand Louis plates and cutleries. Louis smiled at him, taking the plates. 

He opened the boxes and looked at Harry. Harry was peeking over his shoulder, trying to see what was there. Louis watched his face as Harry took in the boxes and he noticed the smile that was blooming on Harry’s face. 

His heart squeezed in him. He tried to imagine not having Harry like this, standing beside him, smiling so childishly because Louis had brought his favourite food home. His eyes wide and full of wonder, happy. Happy because Louis remembered. 

Louis tore his eyes away from Harry’s soft features, his own eyes prickling. He tried to laugh the sadness away as he nudged Harry.   
“Stop salivating over the dish and go, sit down. I will serve it.”

Harry grinned at him, nodding eagerly. Louis watched him go and sit on the sofa, turning on the television. Louis closed his eyes, trying to compose himself. He inhaled deeply and blinked his eyes open, going for the sofa with two plates in his hands.

When everything was settled, Louis sat down beside Harry, watching the omega take a spoonful of fried rice. Harry closed his eyes, moaning with delight clear on his face. Louis looked ahead, his heart hammering against his ribcage.

“It’s so delicious, Lou,” Harry said, mouthful. 

Louis smiled, “eat up then. Yeah?”

Harry nodded, stuffing his mouth full.

Louis looked ahead, trying to understand the film that was going on the television. 

His eyes were set on the television but all he could think about was Harry. Harry was just beside him and all Louis imagined was him gone, out of his life. Forever.

Harry did not say a word when Louis’ hand came around him, pulling him closer after their food was gone. Neither did Louis when Harry rested his head on top of his shoulder, drifting off.

========= 

Harry came out of his last exam exhausted. The paper was tough but he gave his hundred per cent. He knew that he would pass with flying colours.

He pulled out his phone to see a message from Louis. 

The alpha had not left his side after he had heard the news. He had almost emotionally blackmailed Harry into cancelling his original plan and now he was booked with Louis for a trip to England for one week. They would visit Harry’s house first, stay there for three days and the next three days would be for Louis’ house. 

The last day was a surprise, according to Louis. Harry had not asked anything about it. Well, Louis did not let him. Harry had found out that not only Liam but Louis’ puppy eyes worked wonders too.

He shook his head, smiling and opened the message.

_“We are going shopping. Wait under the Gate No. 3.”_

He frowned. What shopping?

“So how was your exam?” one of his classmates, Jack asked.

Harry shrugged, “fine? I will pass. How about you?”

Jack shrugged, “yeah, satisfactory. What’s the plan for the vacation?”

Harry smiled, “I am going home actually.”

Jack nodded, walking along with Harry, “great. How is the baby thing going?”

Harry blushed, looking down at his stretched T-shirt, “It’s fine. Yeah.”

“Do you know the gender yet?”

Harry smiled, shaking his head, “no. I am not that close. I am going for the check up tomorrow though.”

Jack nodded, grinning, “Well, your boyfriend is standing there. I will let you go. Bye, Harry, see you around.”

Harry confusedly looked at Jack’s retreating figure and then at the direction he had pointed. His eyes widened when he saw Louis, leaning against his car, waiting.

Harry stepped forward, laughing. 

Louis looked up when Harry was at a hearing distance. He arched his brow at Harry, eyes hidden under the Ray-ban. 

“What is so funny?”

Harry shrugged, placing his bag in the back seat and sitting on the passenger one. Louis followed him, starting the car. 

“A lot of things are funny,” Harry said, “first is, you are a mechanic who can afford a Ray-ban. Second, you are following me around so much that everyone is thinking you are my boyfriend. So,” he turned with a smile to bop Louis’ nose, “stop doing that.”

Louis smiled at him, his eyes on the road, “the Ray-ban is a gift from my mum and you are the father of my babies. I don’t see the problem if some outsider thinks we are dating.”

Harry looked at the alpha and settled on his seat, smiling. 

“Where are you taking me then?”

Louis smirked, “Shopping.”

Harry pulled out a half-eaten chocolate pack from his pocket and offered some to Louis. Louis opened his mouth, staring ahead. Harry rolled his eyes, holding out a cube for the alpha. Louis took it into his mouth, chewing. 

“What kind of shopping?” Harry asked, taking a bite of the chocolate himself.

Louis smirked, taking a glance at Harry and then looking ahead, “house shopping.”

Harry frowned, looking at the road and then back at the alpha. He did not understand Louis’ words and he was not sure why he was going with Louis anyway. 

“Means?”

Louis sighed, exasperated, “I am buying a house here.”

Harry blinked, his mouth gaping as he looked at Louis. 

“What? A house? You are buying a house?”

Louis nodded, satisfied smile on his face. He drove the car towards the main road.

“Why are you buying a house here?” Harry asked, totally confused. 

Louis shrugged, “well, I can’t bring the babies back in a shared flat now, can I?”

Harry chewed his lips, furrowing his brows, “well, I mean… yeah. That makes sense.”

Louis nodded, “I mean, Zayn might kill me if they stay up all night, crying and he could not sleep. Liam would politely ask me to fuck off with them. I am just doing it with dignity. Plus, the babies need their own room. Decorated and furnished for them. No?”

Harry’s heart twisted in him. He would not have a chance to decorate their room. He would not be the one to buy their furniture or decide the colour of their room. He blinked back his tears and tried to smile at the alpha.

“That’s so thoughtful of you, Louis.”

Louis nodded, smiling, “I know.”

Harry looked ahead, no words coming to his mind. He noticed the road was leading them out of the student colony and the next road looked more homey, with peaceful neighbourhood. Perfect for raising kids. 

Then a thought occurred to Harry’s mind, making him turn a bit towards the alpha with a frown etched on his face.

“Why are you taking me with you? Arthur is supposed to be here. He is going to live with you. Right?”

Louis’ grip on the wheel tightened, he shrugged, “He was busy. You will do.”

Harry said nothing after that. He had not seen Arthur in a long time. Since Louis’ first date with him, the alpha had not talked about him and Harry had not seen the omega around. Louis was always avoiding his topic and Harry somehow understood. 

Louis was being considerate. He knew that Harry was in love with him, so he was being polite and keeping Arthur away from Harry. That made sense and Harry had no other reason to justify Louis’ subtle avoidance of the topic. 

“You should have waited, Louis,” he said, tone sad, “Arthur is the one who will stay with you. His opinion matters. I might not even be here when…”

He jumped when Louis blew the horn of the car, so loud and so harsh. When he blinked and looked at Louis, the alpha was staring ahead, jaw set and hands tight on the steering wheel.

“Can you stop talking, Harry? You are distracting me. Stay put,” Louis said, his tone cold suddenly.

Harry gulped, closing his mouth.

========= 

Joshua Miller.

A renowned broker who worked with Louis’ mother’s company and knew what Louis was searching for in a house. He was in his early thirties and had a wife, who was the interior decorator Louis wanted to have a look at his newly bought house after he purchased it. 

They met in front of the first house, away from the student campus and hurdle of the town. 

Louis pulled his car up to the gate and hopped down. He rounded the car to help Harry out of the car too. The omega was rounder now, uncomfortable as he was, Harry smiled when Louis reached out for his elbow. Louis smiled back, noticing the flush on those cheeks from the effort Harry had to put in unbuckling his seatbelt. 

The omega looked at Louis surprisingly when Louis linked their fingers together, walking forward. Louis did not acknowledge it, he looked ahead at the broker who was smiling at them.

“Louis, hi,” Joshua said, forwarding his hand for Louis to shake, “I am Joshua, it’s so nice to meet you again.”

Louis shook his head with a smile, his left hand still roped around Harry’s. He pulled the omega closer, his arm going around Harry’s back to hold him around the waist. 

“Hi, Joshua. Yeah, it’s been a long time. How is Emily?” 

Joshua motioned them forward, walking along with them, “she is fine, yeah. Heavily pregnant and easily irritated.”

They laughed together.

“How long is she?” Harry asked, smiling tentatively at the man.

Joshua smiled at him, “seven months. How long are you?”

Harry smiled down at his bump, “four and a half.”

Joshua nodded, smirking at Louis, “how are you holding up?”

Louis laughed, shaking his head, “I am fine.”

They stopped talking as the main door of the house came to their view. Harry’s intake of breath was easily heard. Louis stood straight, pride fluttering in his chest. He looked at the house and then back at Harry. His smirk was wiped off his face as soon as his eyes fell on Harry.

The house was not as breathtaking as Harry looked at that exact moment. 

The omega was sweaty and was huffing with effort as he had walked up to there and his face was flushed. Those lips were parted with shock as he stared at the house in front of them. Those green eyes were glistening with wonder as he took in his surroundings and Louis saw the smile that was slowly blooming on his swollen lips. 

Harry was a vision under the sun as he stood there with Louis’ arm around him. Louis rubbed the omega’s side softly, earning a sigh and a glance from the omega.

“Come on, let’s see the house then,” Joshua’s voice broke their eye contact. 

Louis looked forward and so did Harry. They moved forward but Louis did not let go, his left arm was secure around Harry as they stepped into the house. 

Louis noticed how Harry stopped for a moment at the doorstep, his eyes round and wide as he looked around. Louis followed Harry’s eyes.

The inside of the house was even more aristocratic. The walls were white and the living room was widely planted in front of them. The kitchen was just beyond the living room and the pieces of furniture were painted grey. Louis personally did not like the colour combinations but he waited before giving his adjudication. He wanted to know Harry’s verdict too. 

They walked forward. Joshua was describing everything as they followed him.

It was a two-story house. The ground floor had three bedrooms, attached bathrooms and one, vast kitchen beside the living room. 

The top floor had four bedrooms. One of them was the master bedroom that had a roof connected to it and three more bedrooms down the hall. 

At the back of the house, there was a pool and a garden that was already beautifully groomed. The walkway was decorated with pebbles and trees on both sides. The atmosphere was quiet and calm. Perfect for babies. 

Harry was asking a lot of questions, listening to Joshua as the beta talked about the things that could be arranged and re-constructed. 

Louis listened, standing beside Harry as the omega talked. 

In his mind, he heard the omega’s voice in a dingy pub, gushing to Louis about a future he wanted. His voice was easily heard over the loud music of the pub. 

_“I want a cosy house, Lou. Where I will decorate every corner with my alpha. He would help me choose colours and textures for the walls and the bedroom, Louis, I want a huge bed, with those soft mattresses that would dip and swallow us up as we lay down, yeah? The garden, I will plant some tulips there, do you think tulips grow in this side of the world? But what I want the most is a library, you know?”_

_Louis had rolled his eyes and stayed mute, looking at the door of the pub for Arthur to show up so that he could excuse himself from the clingy mess that was Harry._

_“The library shall…”_

_Louis had jerked his arm free from Harry’s grasp as soon as Arthur was walking into the pub. He had stood up, walking forward, ignoring the omega who was looking at him, hurt and confused and so lost._

“So?” Joshua asked when the tour was complete. Louis blinked, coming back to the present and looking at the broker. 

Louis knew what he wanted but he turned to face Harry and waited with raised brows.

“Right,” Joshua said, laughing, “the homemaker needs to give the verdict. After all, he will make it a home for the alpha.”

Harry’s smile deemed, his crinkling eyes losing the shine as he took in the beta’s words. He shook his head, looking at Louis desperately. 

“Arthur, he should be here, I am not…”

Louis turned to Joshua, “do you have a house that has a library, Joshua?”

Joshua frowned, thinking. 

Louis looked at Harry to see the omega gaping at him, his mouth almost touching the ground.

“A house with a built-in library might cost more than your budget, Louis,” the beta said, looking at him seriously. 

Louis shrugged, “that’s fine. I am taking lone from the bank anyway, might as well get what I want, yeah?”

Joshua nodded, opening his laptop to see if he had something listed like that or not. 

Louis turned to look at Harry, who was still standing on his spot, looking uncomfortable and stiff. 

“Come on, let’s sit,” Louis said, guiding Harry towards the sofa.

Harry sat down carefully, sighing as his back hit the soft cushion. He looked at Louis after that, frowning.

“It’s going to be your first ever house, Lou,” he said, murmuring, “Arthur should be here. Not me.”

Louis looked at him, “how many times do I have to say that he was busy?”

Harry shook his head, “you should have rescheduled, Lou. I am not sure this is fine. He might feel left out. He is going to stay here, Lou. I am not sure this is a good idea.”

Louis coughed, not meeting Harry’s eyes as he tried to sort out his thoughts. When he looked up, Harry was looking at him intensely, a frown etched on his brows. 

“About that,” Louis said, rubbing the back of his neck, “I talked to my mum’s doctors, you know? Last night?”

Harry looked confused at the turn of the topic but nodded nonetheless, “yeah?”

Louis looked down at his boots, “they said it is not good for a pregnant person to climb a lot of stairs, you know? It can harm the omega,” he took Harry’s hands in his, looking up at him earnestly, “and you know how terribly high the stairs of your flat are, huh?”

Harry’s hands were sweaty in his, warm and so soft, Louis rubbed them, slowly and soothingly, “so I was thinking, what if we move in together…”

He jumped when Harry flinched away, pulling his hands away from Louis’. His eyes were wide and face pale as he looked at Louis. Before Louis could say something, Harry was standing up, stepping backwards. Louis stood up too, watching the omega with tension. 

“Harry,” he said, reaching out but stopped in his advance when Harry shook his head, looking pained. 

“No, Louis, I can’t…” he shook his head vehemently, “I can’t do that. No. I can’t move in with you. It’s not necessary, it’s not… a lot of people give birth while staying in a flat like mine. That’s not a problem.”

Louis clenched his fists, “that’s because they have lifts, Harry. Your lift is not working. You have to climb the stairs. Are you crazy? It’s not safe for you!”

Harry shook his head again, his curls flopping on his forehead, “I will be fine, Louis. This makes no sense! What will I say to my parents? Why am I moving in with you when we have nothing going on between us? Just for some stairs? Are you crazy?”

Louis saw the moment Joshua stepped in and stopped at the doorframe. He looked at Louis and back at Harry and stepped back out, giving them some privacy.  
Louis was beyond thankful. 

Louis stepped forward, Harry backing away again.

“I can’t do that to Arthur. What would he think? Even if he moves in here too, how do you think it would make him feel?” Harry kept taking backwards steps, getting worked up with each word, “I will be like a sore finger. The third wheel. I don’t want to be the third wheel, Louis. I don’t want him to hate me. Please don’t make him hate me, I…”

Louis’ heart dropped into his stomach when Harry stumbled, his feet catching on the carpet and the omega toppled backwards. 

Louis reached out, grasping the omega’s arms and pulling him forward, towards him. Harry came, unbalanced and uncoordinated, slamming against Louis’ chest. 

Louis balanced them, placing his hands on Harry’s hips and holding up the weight. When Harry opened his eyes, Louis held him tighter. The omega looked scared and tensed. 

Louis felt furious, scared and frustrated. 

“For God’s sake, Harry,” Louis seethed, holding the omega closer to his chest, “can’t you think about yourself for once? Fucking hell, I am here, trying to do everything in my power to make this as easy for you as I can but do you have to be so impossibly stubborn? Huh?” he leaned forward, meeting the omega’s eyes, “why is it hard to accept my offer? Why is it so impossible?”

Harry shoved him away, crying, his nose red, “I accepted your offer once and look where it left us!”

The room echoed Harry’s voice, filling up every portion of Louis’ body.

The omega wiped his eyes with the back of his palm and glared at Louis, “it got me in a situation where I can’t look Arthur in the eyes because it feels like I have stolen something he deserved. It got me in a position where I don’t know if I will be alive to hold my firstborn babies or not! It got me in a mating where I can’t remove the bloody mark even after knowing that the alpha who caused this does not want me! I can’t believe you thought you will just buy a house and I will follow you here like a lost puppy. I am an individual, Louis! I have my self-respect. I have my own dreams and thoughts. You can’t just decide everything.”

Louis stood there, gaping and his inside aching with pain. 

Harry took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. When he opened his eyes, he glared pointedly at Louis, “I am leaving, Louis. I don’t want to be a part of this. I am not sure if I will live or not but Louis,” fresh tears oozed out of Harry’s eyes, “don’t ruin something that was always there in your heart. Don’t ruin what you have with Arthur. He will be devastated if he comes to know about all this, I don’t want to be the reason of that, Louis. I can’t.”

With that Harry turned away, walking as fast as his feet helped him. 

Louis stood there, his eyes on the omega’s back. The house felt cold as soon as Harry was out of his sight and Louis bolted forward, trying to stop him.

========= 

Everything hurt.

Harry felt like slumping down on that damned marble floor and sob his heart out.

He was not used to this. He was not used to having Louis’ full attention. That made him greedy, greedy for something he would never have. His own feelings scared him. 

When Louis talked about a library, it hit really close to his heart. A perfect house. His perfect house would have a library, Harry always thought and somehow, Harry’s perfect house always had Louis in it, his alpha. 

With so much effort, he had erased those ideas from his heart and now Louis was redrawing them. Redrawing them better than Harry thought and that scared Harry. He could not fall for the alpha again when he did not even heal fully from the last time. He could not do that to Arthur and Louis would never love him. He was doing all this because now he knew about Harry’s condition. He was feeling guilty, so he was trying to do everything to help Harry and Harry could not take it. 

He stopped, leaning against a wall, closing his eyes. He was tired, screaming and crying were not good for his health. He hoped the babies were fine. He hoped they did not catch up to his distress. 

He jumped when he felt hands touching his stomach, pressing it softly against his form.

Without opening his eyes, Harry knew it was Louis. Not because Joshua would not do it, not because Louis was the only one there but because Harry knew that touch, he knew the heat that the alpha emitted. 

“I am sorry.”

Harry opened his eyes at Louis’ voice, finding the alpha closer than he imagined. 

Those blue pools were swimming with tears, not falling but caged, there, present. Louis looked pained, hurt and guilty.

Harry cursed himself. He should not have said those things. He was not innocent, either. He had agreed, it was not like Louis had forced him. Never. The alpha was always asking if Harry was okay with their arrangements. It was his fault that he had agreed to it. He was the one in love, Louis did not give him false hope either. He was clear since the starting, honest about his feelings for Arthur. Harry had no right to play the blame game. 

He placed his arms on Louis’ shoulder, rubbing the alpha’s nape, up and down…

“I am sorry, too,” Harry murmured, “I should not have said those things. Can I blame it on pregnancy pheromones?” 

Louis let out a surprised chuckle, raising his brows and then he leaned forward, touching his forehead with Harry’s, “you can. Yeah. Whatever you want, Harry.”

Harry sighed, inhaling the scent of the aftershave the alpha had used and trying to ease out his breathing, “I am overwhelmed, Louis. I can’t do that to…”

Louis shook his head, his eyes closed as he stood there, arms on the wall, beside Harry’s hip and forehead resting against Harry’s, “it’s about the babies, too, Harry. By climbing those stairs and putting that much effort, you are putting them in danger too. You know?”

Harry blinked, his eyes settling on their boots, almost touching, “I can’t, Louis. What about Arth…”

Louis hushed him, “our babies are more important, Harry. They are more important than anyone in this world. No?”

Harry fumbled for words, he could not think when Louis was this close to him, “I can’t… I am not…”

Louis leaned away, staying bodily close but his head moved a bit away to look at Harry properly, “you have time to think, Harry. One week. We will choose a house and then go to London. When we come back, then you can tell me what you want, yeah? But for now, please, Joshua is here, let’s see the houses, please?”

Harry shook his head, not ready, never ready but Louis placed his index finger on his lips, shushing him. 

“Even if you don’t move in with me, help me? Please? I know nothing about real estates and all that. Please?”

And how could Harry say no to Louis’ pleading voice and puppy face?

He rolled his eyes, sighing. Louis’ smile was enough to let Harry know that the alpha knew he had won.

Louis gripped his hand in his as he moved, his eyes on Harry. A grin rose on those thin lips as Louis tugged Harry closer.

“Shall we?”

Harry said nothing, just followed the alpha when Louis started walking.

He looked at the alpha as Louis told Joshua about their plan of seeing some more properties.

_“I will go to hell and back if you ask me like that, Louis,”_ Harry thought, sighing.

========= 

The second house was really not that good.

“It’s spooky,” Harry whispered, stepping closer to Louis so that Joshua would not hear. Louis pressed down on his lips, mockingly glaring at Harry to shut him up. The omega just shrugged. 

The third one was awful with dark maroon texture and small, stuffed rooms. Louis did not even go to the upper floor before rejecting it. 

Harry munched on the apple while sitting beside Louis on the passenger seat as Joshua instructed them from the backseat. Louis eyed the apple and made a face. 

“Do you always have to eat fruits? They are my babies, you know? They might hate you for not giving them junk foods.”

Joshua laughed from the backseat while Harry glared at him.

“I have done my research. Junk food can cause mental illness for the unborn baby and I am not taking the risk. Sorry,” then he smiled cheekily at Louis’ amused expression, “can’t leave you alone with two crazy babies, can I?”

Louis pressed down on the gas, jerking the car forward. His inside jerked just the same way. He realized one thing as Harry said those words.

Harry had accepted his fate. He had accepted that he would not survive, he would not make it through. It was like Harry had lost every reason to live, like, he did not want to live anymore, hopeless. He sounded hopeless and completely fine with his fate. 

Louis had to change that. He had to find a reason for Harry to live. He had to give him a reason to look forward. How was he going to fight against the odds if he had just accepted his fate? Louis now had to fight for Harry and against Harry at the same time. 

Louis took a glance at Harry, taking in how the omega smiled at Joshua as they talked and he knew that he would. He would fight against all odds to make Harry stay. Right here, like this. Smiling and happy.

========= 

The sixth house.

The sixth house was everything Louis wanted when he thought about his first house. 

In the middle of a well-maintained garden, stood the two-story mansion. Yes, it was a mansion if Louis could say so himself. 

The outside of the house was painted brown with floor to ceiling windows. The round driveway had a fountain in the middle of it, with rainbow lights adorning it. The garage, beside the house, could shelter more than three cars. Louis liked the front very much as they walked inside. 

The inside was even more mesmerizing. The walls were cream coloured, with off-white tiles on the floor. The late afternoon sunlight was coming through the vast windows, shining off the walls and the floor. The furniture sets were painted deep brown, colour coordinating with the walls. The huge paintings that hung on the walls were intriguing. 

Louis twirled on the spot, taking in everything. The staircase that led to the first floor was wide with a gorgeously patterned railing. The steps were not high. 

Louis turned to see where Harry was and found him under the chandelier in the middle of the hall. 

Louis stopped to watch the omega. 

Harry’s head was bent backwards with wonder shining his eyes as he watched the chandelier. His hands were resting on his bump, softly caressing it like he did not even notice he was doing it. His lips were parted, as if he was going to praise the chandelier verbally but stopped himself. The light from the chandelier fell on his face, lighting up his skin and leaving behind some shadows. It looked like the omega was bathing under the lights that were glinting down on him from the sharp cuts of crystals. 

Louis pulled out his phone silently, pointing it at the omega after opening his camera. The shutter made a sound and Harry blinked, looking at him. His face held confusion at first and then melted into a smile. He raised a brow at Louis and Louis clicked that too, making Harry laugh, his cheeks tinted pink. Louis had to click again.

“Stop it, I look like a whale,” he said, pouting. The smile still adored his face. 

Louis looked down at the photos. His lips pulled up on their own accord. Harry looked exquisite. The bump was prominent from that angle, showing off the omega’s curves. Harry’s hands were resting on it like a protective shield. The omega’s face was coloured with wonder and astonishment.

The second picture was even more beautiful. The way Harry was smiling at the camera was somehow brightening up the frame, the pink hue on those dimpled cheeks was presenting something pleasant. Louis could not help himself, the image of Harry smiling like this while holding their babies in his arms popped up in his mind. It made his heart flutter, his chest contrasting. 

“What are you doing?” Harry asked, still blushing. 

Louis shrugged, putting the phone back in his pocket. He did not tell Harry that he had put the photo as his wallpaper. It was his phone, he did not have to tell Harry anything, right?

“Nothing,” Louis said, stepping forward to stand beside Harry, “did you like the house?”

Harry nodded, looking around, “it’s beautiful, Lou.”

Louis looked at Joshua, who was standing in the far corner of the room, giving them some privacy. 

“Okay, tell me what else this house has.”

Joshua grinned, opening his laptop and listing the things the house had while Louis made Harry sit on the sofa, sitting down beside him, closer than necessary.

“This house has twelve rooms. Six on the ground floor and six on the upper floor. Two master bedrooms. Attached bathrooms with every room. Two fireplaces. One is here, as you can see, in the hall and one is in the master bedroom, upper floor. There are two walk-in closets, attached to the master bedrooms. It has a pool with Jacuzzi in it in the backside of the house. There is a garden around the pool, giving it a meadow kind of vibe,” Joshua stopped to take a breath and then started again, “there is an outdoor fireplace for your porch with a cushioned swing and all. Yeah?”

Louis nodded with a smile.

“There is a library on the upper-floor, built in. As you wanted. The kitchen windows open to an outdoor bar, it is quite cool for a sunny day or a barbeque.”

Louis glanced at Harry to see that the omega was looking at the kitchen with a wide smile on his face. Louis placed his left hand on Harry’s thigh, looking back at Joshua.

“Oh, there is a dog-shower in your garage,” Joshua smiled, “if you ever adopt a pet that will come in handy. While going upstairs, you might have seen the mega-skylight. It’s quite beautiful if you ask me. What else?”

Harry sighed, “I am already reeling. There is more?”

Louis bit down on his lips, trying not to laugh. 

Joshua laughed though, nodding, “it’s a mansion, Harry. Of course, there is more. Haven’t you ever seen a mansion?”

Harry shook his head, honest and blunt, “never in my life. If you count the movies then yeah. Otherwise, my house is as small as the garage outside. I am pretty overwhelmed, really.”

Louis shook his head with a smile gracing his lips. 

“Well, the house is yours now,” Joshua said, “now you have a mansion.”

Harry shook his head, ready to protest. Louis pressed down on his thigh, effectively stopping the omega.

“So, that’s all, right?” he asked.

Joshua nodded, “that’s pretty much it.” Then he shook his head, “oh, I forgot, there is a gazebo in the backyards.”

Harry gasped, his eyes widening, “a gazebo? Really?”

Louis saw the excitement in Harry’s expression until now the omega had looked shocked or neutral but now he looked excited and jumpy.

“Yeah?” Joshua said.

Harry grinned, turning to face Louis, “I have always wanted a gazebo!”

Louis’ inside swelled, he turned to face Joshua. Whatever hesitation he was having up until now was cleared out.

“We are taking the house.”

========= 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how was the chapter? Did you all like it? Thoughts? Let me know in the comments. I would love to read your opinions. Yeah?   
> Leave kudos too, if you enjoyed and haven't done it yet. Thank you so much. x


	8. Chapter - 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am late. I know. Sorry about that. :(  
> I did not use any of the sibling's real name because I don't want to drag them in this. Thanks. x

Arthur was adamant to not let Louis go with Harry alone. 

Louis could not understand how to make the omega understand that it was fine. He did not have feelings for Harry. Not something romantic, anyway. 

Arthur would not budge though. 

It was the reason Louis found himself in Harry’s flat, laying on his bed and looking at the ceiling he knew more keenly than his own. 

Harry sat beside him, munching on a sandwich and making excessive noise. 

Louis frowned and turned his head to glare at the omega. 

“Why are you not as distressed as me?” he asked, seriously curious.

Harry shrugged, eyes set on the laptop in front of him, watching the same damn animal planet, “why are you distressed anyway? I have already given a solution and by the sound of his voice, Arthur had liked the idea too. Right?”

Louis let out a frustrated breath, “taking him with us is not a solution.”

Harry nodded, “it is. That way, you two will have some time as a vacation and he would meet your family. It’s a golden chance.”

Louis thought about it and then shook his head, “no. We planned this trip for us.”

Harry rolled his eyes, his tongue coming out as he took another bite of his sandwich, “plans are meant to be changed. We can reschedule some things and that is all. Why are you so adamant?”

Louis sat up, exasperated, “I… I can’t…”

Harry looked at him, smirking, “you think I will be the third wheel? Don’t worry, I will keep myself in the shadows. Won’t come in between you two.” 

Louis watched the omega laugh, savouring the sandwich Louis made, with so much happiness radiating off him. Something broke inside Louis, just a little bit. The hollow in his stomach was getting deeper as the days went on. It was like an abyss where Louis was falling whenever Harry would talk about something like this. 

Harry would always be the first one to back away if there was an option involved. He would step back to put Arthur beside Louis every time. He would slide away if he realized he was sitting closer to Louis than Arthur. 

If they were having a movie night with their friends, Harry would go to sit with Niall and Liam, as far away from Louis and Arthur as possible. 

He would make excuses to leave early so that Louis could leave Arthur home at night. 

Harry would do all that smilingly, he would vacant his place beside Louis every day to make a place for Arthur. 

Louis noticed it. He noticed how easily Harry would give Arthur his claims. Something in Louis would break every time Harry would leave just to keep Arthur happy. 

“I did not mean it, you know, right?” Louis asked, “I don’t want you to be a shadow.”

Harry did not notice how serious Louis was, he was too engrossed in his eating. He just smiled and shrugged, “yeah. I know.”

But, did Harry really know?

Louis dropped down on the mattress again, his eyes closing as he sighed, “Fine. Let’s take Arthur with us too. Whatever you want.”

========= 

Louis closed his eyes and burrowed his nose in Jay’s shoulder as soon as his mother had hugged him. He tried not to cry as his mum’s scent filled his senses. He had missed this. In his mother’s arms, Louis felt like everything would be fine, he would be fine.

“Oh! Boo,” Jay sniffed, hugging the boy closer, and Louis let her. They broke the hug to hold each other close. Louis tried to calm the sobbing woman down as Jay cried through her words.

After some son-mother time, Louis turned towards his two companions and smiled at Harry. 

“Mum, this is…”

Arthur stepped forward, his hand already presented for a handshake, “hi! I am Arthur, Louis’ omega.”

Louis choked on his spit at Arthur’s words and when he looked at Jay, she was looking at the boy with her brows raised. Louis looked at Harry and saw how Harry was pressing down on his lips to stop a laugh. Louis glared at him and Harry’s answer was a deep dimple. Louis wanted to poke it…

Jay shook Arthur’s hand with a smile and asked him how the journey was so far. Arthur took his time, explaining how good the trip was and everything else. The masked smile on Jay’s face was making Louis wince.

Louis coughed and pointed at Harry after Arthur’s ramble. 

“This is Harry.”

Jay turned towards Harry and Louis faced Harry too. 

The first thing Louis noticed was the nervousness in those eyes and then that hesitant smile on his face that was mixed with awkwardness. Harry blinked at Arthur and stepped forward. 

Louis’ eyes followed Harry as he just waved at Jay, looking at her with a soft yet scared smile, “good morning. How are you?”

Louis blinked at Jay and noticed the smile that was blooming on his mother’s face, curiosity and tenderness radiated off her as she looked at Harry. Jay nodded in greeting and placed her index finger under Harry’s chin to pull the boy’s face up to face her. 

“Good morning,” then she sighed, “You are prettier in person.”

Louis smiled, his agreement written on his face. He tried not to coo when Harry blushed, his eyes widening and he looked anywhere but at Jay directly. 

“Th-thank you.”

Then Jay shook her head, “please, come in. Come in.”

Louis reached forward to take Harry’s luggage and almost snatched it away from the boy’s protesting hands before stepping into the house. 

“Where are the kids?” Louis asked, walking in. 

Jay shrugged, “school. They will come soon.”

Louis turned towards the stairs when Jay stopped him, “I have prepared a room for Harry here. Arthur,” she turned towards the omega, “you have to share a room with Louis. Is that fine?”

Arthur nodded gleefully, “sure. I am fine with it.”

Louis looked at Harry, noticing how the omega was looking around with awe in those eyes. Louis watched, as those curious eyes took in everything with wonder and awe. Pride bloomed in Louis’ chest, Harry looked impressed. It was so caveman-like to feel proud of his house. It was not as if Louis was trying to present himself as a suitor or something but when Harry smiled at his childhood home approvingly, Louis loved it. It was as if he wanted that approval from the omega. 

Harry’s eyes finally found him. 

Louis smirked when Harry looked away, shy, because he was caught in his exploring. 

“Harry should not climb the stairs, so his room is in there,” Jay pointed at one of their guest bedrooms and Harry nodded in thanks, “Louis’ bedroom is on the first floor. Boo, take Arthur with you, I will go with Harry.”

Louis shook his head, “mum, why you don’t take Arthur with you? Let me help Harry with his luggage. Arthur,” he turned towards the omega with a smile, “take our luggage with you, yeah?”

Before anyone could answer, Louis was hiking up Harry’s bags and with his left hand, he grabbed Harry’s wrist, “come on.”

.

.

When they entered the guestroom, Louis pulled Harry along to sit on the bed. He placed the luggage on the floor and sat down beside Harry.

Harry was again looking around, his neck craning as he measured the room. Louis let him, his eyes following Harry’s expression. 

Finally, those green orbs settled on him with a smile. A broad smile from Louis and Harry made a face.

“Your guestroom is bigger than my bedroom in our house.”

Louis smiled, unbidden and lazy, “I will see that when you take me there.”

“I am not sure I want to anymore. My house will look like a cave in front of this,” the omega pouted.

Louis frowned, “shut up! I want to see where you grew up.”

Harry shrugged, “you will be disappointed.”

Louis rolled his eyes, “yeah. Yeah. I will decide that.”

Harry nodded, “you should go. Arthur is alone with your mum.”

Louis frowned, “my mum is not a monster, you know? She won’t kill him.”

Harry nodded, shy, as he shrugged, “she is intimidating.”

Louis’ lips twitched with mirth, “were you tensed to meet her?”

Harry nodded, honest, _always honest,_ “I was. I am, actually. I am not…” there was a thoughtful expression on Harry’s face, something regretful, “I am not as good as Arthur when it comes to communication. I come up with the silliest words and stutter. Not good with the first impression and I was tensed that she would laugh at me and maybe get angry at you for having a baby with me.”

That…

That was a lot of troubled thoughts.

Harry was thinking all this throughout the journey? Why did not he talk to Louis about it?

“She will love you, Harry. Trust me,” Louis whispered.

Harry shook his head, wringing his fingers with tension on his shoulders, “love? I would be grateful if she likes me a little.”

Louis did not understand the omega’s fear; he took Harry’s almost freezing hands in his and started rubbing them back to warmth.

“Why are you saying this? You are so lovely, Harry.”

Harry shook his head, smiling down at their joined hands, “I just… I am awkward and so clumsy with words and…”

“And so lovely to look at.”

Both of them jumped when their eyes fell on the figure near the doorframe. 

Jay came in with a pleasant smile on her face. She sat down on the bed, on the other side of Harry and took Harry’s hands from Louis. Louis tried not to protest as Jay looked at him teasingly.

She patted his hands and smiled at him, “do you have any idea how beautiful and mannered you come off as?”

Harry’s cheeks heated up, Louis smiled as Harry looked at his mum. Something like pride unfurled in his chest.

“Thank you,” Harry replied shyly.

Jay nodded, taking in the omega. She addressed Louis without taking her eyes off Harry.

“Arthur is waiting for you, Louis, why don’t you go to him? It’s a new place for him too.”

Louis hesitated, his heart so full of emotions as he looked at Jay and Harry interacting. 

“Louis?” Jay said, pointedly looking at him. 

Louis stood up gingerly, nodding. Jay wanted some time alone with Harry. He could give her that. 

Before leaving, Louis did what was second nature to him by now. He cupped Harry’s face in his palms and planted a kiss on his forehead. 

“See you.”

Harry looked at him, smiling and nodding. 

Louis left when Jay swatted his butt.

========= 

Louis exhaled as he sat down on the kitchen counter. The house was bustling with activity by now. His sisters, Leah and Fae, were home by now and the newborns were awake too, Lisa and Leo.

Jay was cooking something for dinner and Arthur was talking to Leah in the drawing room. Harry was with the twins, watching over them. 

Jay smiled at Louis as he munched on a cookie and patted his knee, “I am glad that you are home, Boo.”

Louis twisted his nose, “mum. Stop calling me that. You embarrass me.”

Jay just rolled her eyes fondly at him and concentrated on the rice, “so?”

Louis nibbled on the cookie, “so what?”

Jay gestured towards the kitchen door with her chin and smirked at Louis, “how is he to be with?”

Louis sighed, smiling at his half-eaten cookie. He shrugged, thinking, and then he looked at his mum.

“He is just…” a sigh escaped him, along with a soft chuckle, “he is just pure, mum. That is the only word that can really describe him. I am just so at peace when he is around. So calm, composed and at the same time he is such a dork!” 

Louis shook his head with a smile, “he would whine when his old jeans would not fit him and then would go on to tell me how you should accept how you are. He would stumble on his gangly legs and then smile at you so widely to apologize. He is clumsy, mum. So clumsy that he could not even carry his phone and the coffee mug together. But at the same time, he juggles, you know? He is so good at it. Then he is shy too and at the same time makes so many dirty jokes. He is insufferable… that one…”

Harry’s cheeky smile came to his mind as Louis took a bite of his cookie. Harry was so many things that he could not describe him fully even if someone gave him a lifetime. 

Jay smiled, seeming satisfied, “he sounds perfect.”

Louis nodded, completely agreeing, “Yes, of course, he is. Sometimes I don’t understand how he manages it. I feel protective over him, you know? I feel like the whole world might take advantage of him and he would let them. He is that pure and soft-hearted.”

Jay looked thoughtful, “God! Of course, you feel protective of him. You love him. In your heart, he is your omega.”

.

.

.

The cookie almost wobbled out of Louis’ shaking hand. He clenched it tightly, too tightly to make it crumple in his grip as he stared at his mum with shock.

“Wh-what?” he stammered out. 

Jay shrugged, “Arthur? I did not think it was this deep, really. But I am happy for you…”

“I was talking about Harry,” Louis whispered, his eyes fixed on his mum. 

Jay halted in her movement, her eyes jerking up to meet Louis’ and they both just stared at each other for some time. 

Louis’ heart hammered in his chest, something twisting in his stomach and his skin pricking out goosebumps. 

Jay was the first one to recover. She coughed, looking at him and then back at the oven.

“Oh! I mean…”

Louis shook his head, “I am not in love with him, mum.”

Jay did not agree; she did not disagree with him either. She just nodded and smiled up at him.

“I am sorry, I misunderstood.”

Louis nodded, his mouth sour as he looked down at the half-eaten and crumbled cookie.

“Go, set the table with your sisters. I will bring the food in,” Jay nudged Louis away towards the hall. Louis went, throwing the cookie in the waste-bin.

When he walked out of the kitchen, Louis’ eyes fell on Arthur. The omega was sitting closely with Leah, talking and laughing. A smile crept up on Louis’ face as he went to call them.

“The dinner is ready, guys. Let’s go.”

Arthur and Leah looked up at him, smiling, and they nodded, standing up. 

“Let’s go, I will show you my favourite designer brand’s account. Come on,” Leah said, pulling Arthur along with her.

Arthur turned towards Louis, “where are you going?”

Louis gestured towards the nursery, “Fae and Harry. You go, I am coming.”

Leah dragged Arthur away and Louis went towards the Nursery.

========= 

When he reached the door of the nursery, Louis heard Fae’s loud and gleeful laugh. He pushed the door open and stopped to stare at the scene in front of him.

Fae was painting Harry’s nails as the omega talked to one of the twins in a baby voice. Leo was sleeping on Harry’s chest and Lisa was listening to whatever Harry was talking about. Harry’s hair was twisted and turned in something like an updo but it looked so messy that Louis knew that it was done by Fae as a joke. 

What made Louis skip a heartbeat was the glimmer on Harry’s face. The omega looked so happy and content as Lisa pulled at his strands, giggling with droopy eyes, staring up at him. The smile that bloomed over Harry’s face was so radiant and jovial that Louis’ heart thrummed against his ribcage. Harry looked happy and at ease as he kept blabbering on. 

Louis coughed, “The dinner is ready.”

Those seafoam orbs blinked up at him. Louis sucked in a deep breath as those dimples came into life when Harry grinned. 

Louis had never seen Harry that happy.

“Yeah, we are coming,” Fae said but Louis ignored her, his eyes stuck on the omega who was now pouting as Fae took Lisa from his hands. 

“I will come right back, I promise,” Harry whispered against Lisa’s hair as he kissed her temple before Fae took the baby and laid her down beside her brother. 

Harry stood up gingerly and looked at the cradle where the babies were almost asleep. Fae was patting Lisa’s head, trying to make her fall asleep. 

“You go on, I will take care of her,” Harry said. 

Fae looked at him and then at Louis with hesitation, “are you sure?”

Harry nodded, urging her out of the room, “Go on. I will be fine.”

Louis watched as Fae left and his eyes were stuck on the omega as Harry pulled Lisa up in his arms again. The omega started humming some lullaby as he walked from one side of the room to another. 

Louis walked into the room, taking in the sight in front of him. Harry was holding the baby close to his chest, his nose buried in Lisa’s golden hair as he hummed along. 

Louis pulled out his phone and snapped a picture, taking in the content smile on Harry’s face. 

“I might never get to do this with my babies,” Harry said, soft and just for himself. 

Louis heard him nonetheless. His phone shook in his grip. His skin crawled with something like pain and his eyelashes flapped to wipe away the moisture that suddenly wanted to roll out of his eyes.

He stepped forward, stopping in front of Harry. Harry smiled up at him, a soft and sated blush on his cheeks as if he was not sure if Louis heard it or not.

Louis took a sleeping Lisa from Harry’s clutch and placed her on the cradle, shushing her when she mumbled in her sleep. Lisa sighed, finally settling down with peace and Louis turned away to face the omega. 

Under the bluish lampshade's glow, Harry looked like an angel. His curls were knotted and twisted around his head, his lips were tinted, maybe lipstick, and those eyes were hooded with tiredness and at the same time so many emotions. 

Louis took Harry’s hands in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. He wanted to say something. Anything to ease Harry’s heart or maybe his own heart but words were choked in his clogged up throat and Louis had nothing he could say. 

So he did not.

He pulled Harry closer, in his embrace and held the omega. His nose went to Harry’s neck and he sighed at the familiar smell of something sweet, something Harry. 

Harry sighed too, resting his full body weight on Louis and he hid his face against the crook of Louis’ neck. 

“Why can’t I live?”

The question was pulled out of Harry’s heart. Louis could hear the thickness of Harry’s emotions in that question. 

He sucked in a breath, trying hard not to collapse as Harry let out the first strangle cry, his whole body shaking in Louis’ arms. 

Louis blinked, trying hard to wipe away his own tears, his breathing uneven.

“You are not…” he whispered against Harry’s curls, voice muffled by them, “you are not going anywhere. I promise.”

Both of them knew that it was not in their hands anymore. 

Both of them knew that life was unpredictable as it was. 

But both of them hoped against hope. They held onto each other for everything.

“Louis,” Harry sighed, tired, exhausted.

Louis pulled him closer, “I will never let you go. I promise.”

When they broke the hug, Louis held Harry in his arms and whispered, “You are stuck with me. Forever.”

There was something unreadable in Harry’s eyes before the omega looked away, sniffing, “shut up, you sap!”

========= 

The dinner went in a frenzy for both Louis and Harry.

Arthur and Jay were talking about something in a hushed tone. Fae and Leah were passing remarks here and there. The room was echoing with happy voices. 

All Louis heard was Harry’s soft words when he was asked about something or when he was smiling at the others. 

Louis made sure to fill up Harry’s plate with veggies and he mockingly glared at Harry when the omega pouted, full and sated. 

Louis’ feet went under the table to tickle Harry’s and the omega chocked. He looked around the table and then his eyes settled on Louis. Louis smirked and poked Harry’s foot with his toe. Harry made a face, kicking his foot away. Louis pressed on, urging the omega with his cold feet. Harry looked pointedly at everyone around the table after that. Louis smirked when those wide eyes found him with embarrassment and then Harry was looking at Arthur beside Louis, shaking his head at Louis to disarm him. 

Louis just shrugged, his feet reaching out to take a hold of one of Harry’s ankles. Harry looked down at his plate, his cheeks warm and a small smile on his lips that he tried to hide by biting down on his lips. Louis saw it anyway, a smirk playing out on his own lips. 

Harry kicked him under the table, glaring at him with a smile. Louis winced, pouting back at him.

Jay coughed, bringing their attention back on her. When Louis turned towards her, she was looking at them with a raised brow. 

“Everything alright, boys?” She sounded like she was trying not to laugh at them.

Harry went scarlet, his eyes dropping on his plate as he nodded and Louis nodded too, with a smugness hidden in his smirk. 

“Yes, mum. We are fine.”

Jay shrugged, “So, Harry?” she turned to question him, “what are your plans after the childbirth?”

Louis watched as Harry gulped, the smile slightly dimming and then the omega shrugged.

“If everything goes alright, I want to come back here. In London. I want to be a freelance photographer.”

Jay nodded, “but don’t you think it’s a bit hectic? I mean, you need to think about the babies too, right?”

Harry nodded, thoughtful, “I know. Yes, well, I will graduate and then might take some time off. But I think that I can handle it.”

Arthur coughed, “then you need to find someone to settle down with too. No?” 

Harry looked at him, startled and shook his head, “that…”

Arthur leaned forward on the table, his forearms pressed on the tabletop as he looked at Harry, “what? You need to settle down, Harry. How long can you stay single with two babies?”

Harry chewed his food slowly before answering, “Well, eventually. I want that. Yeah.” 

Louis noticed the small smile on Harry’s lips as he looked down at his stretched belly, “I mean I would like to have someone who would care for the babies with me.”

Irritation crawled up Louis’ spine, prickling his skin, as Arthur and Jay cooed at Harry, Fae and Leah chuckling. 

He grasped the fork tightly in his hand and chewed out his words.

“The babies have me. I don’t think they need someone else for taking care and all that. Talk about yourself, Harry,” Louis fixed Harry under his gaze, somewhat cold yet intense, “you need someone with you?”

Arthur pinched Louis lightly, “every omega wants a person to come home to. It’s in our nature, Louis. Of course, he wants that.”

Harry nodded, “and I have wanted it since I was a kid. Someone to hold me when I fall asleep or wake up, maybe.”

Louis tried to think of their moments together. Harry had never said all this and they were never really in that kind of situation. Louis had never really paid any attention to aftercare. He was always eager to just leave after they were done. 

Harry wanted all that. 

He wanted someone to hold him when he fell asleep. How did he manage those nights when Louis would leave even without cleaning him up? How did he feel when Louis would politely push Harry away when the omega would lean on him slightly in his sleep? What about the times when they did it in those dingy bathroom stalls and then Louis left with Arthur, trailing after him?

It felt like someone was slicing a blade through his heart, rubbing some salt over the fresh cut when Louis thought about all those times when he had left Harry on that cold bed, alone or almost kicked him out in the cold of the lonely nights.

“What else do you want in your alpha, Harry?” Jay sounded suspiciously interested. 

Louis turned his eyes towards Harry as the omega fidgeted under everyone’s heavy gaze. 

Leah cooed, “Are you really blushing?”

Fae sighed, “You are such a baby, Harry!”

Arthur just smiled at him, his eyes gentle and caring.

Harry shrugged, “someone who would make me feel like I am home. With whom I would feel safest. I don’t want anything else.”

Louis was home to Harry. 

The omega felt the safest with him.

He loved him.

Louis felt breathless. 

He was all that to Harry and he had proved the omega wrong in the cruellest way possible. 

He had pushed Harry away from his embrace as soon as he could manage. 

He had attacked the omega when he was defenceless. 

Harry thought Louis was his safest place and Louis had pushed him in this hellhole. He was the one who was the knight in shining armour to Harry and he was the exact one who had marked that defenceless omega and then kicked him out in the cold to suffer. 

The realization was like a solid punch in his guts. 

Louis felt like vomiting. The bile was rising along with the water level in his eyes. Suddenly the air was too thick for his lungs. He could not breathe. 

Louis pushed the chair away, “excuse me.”

He wheezed out before leaving for the back garden. He needed some time. A smoke. He needed a smoke.

========= 

Louis’ eyes glazed out as he sat on the swing, leaning against the backrest. The moving swing was making a screeching sound in the eerie silence. Louis could hear the bugs and insects around the garden. The neighbourhood was quiet, just as Louis remembered it.

It was the perfect atmosphere to recall everything that was going round and round in his head. It was like a projector rolling in front of his eyes, showing him the follies, pointing at him the mistakes he made in the past.

Louis tried to, selfishly, forget the things he did to Harry but like this, they would pop up time to time. The guilt would stir its head, eating at his heart piece by piece. Louis would stay awake, tears rolling down of his eyes as he would think about Harry. He would call the omega in the middle of the night to apologize and then cut the call. 

He would find himself in his small balcony, smoking as the night went on. The moon was his only consort as he would apologize to the omega through his silent tears. 

Louis knew, he knew, that he should apologize verbally to Harry but he was not brave enough. He was not brave enough to bring up those things without tearing up in front of the omega. He was not brave enough to remind Harry of those deeds. He was not brave enough to see the omega’s eyes filled with tears or maybe resentment. 

All he wanted to do was fall on his knees, ask for forgiveness but a selfish part of Louis’ heart was not ready to let go of his pride. 

Louis felt sick. 

There was the soft, rustling sound of footsteps and Louis just knew. He closed his eyes, trying to shove everything back in the pit of his stomach before he lost it. 

He was praying for the footsteps to not come closer. 

Not come closer and see his tear soaked face. 

“Ice cream?”

Louis let out a hopeless chuckle, shaking his head, “how can you forgive me for what I did to you?”

There.

The words were out. 

The question that was just in the middle of them, like a barrier. A glacier. 

An audible sigh and then Harry sat down beside him, supporting his forearms on his knees, “I didn’t. That’s why I am leaving you with two kids.”

Louis looked at the omega with an unimpressed face and Harry’s nose twitched in a kittenish pout.

“That was my best try at a joke,” he shrugged.

“Well, it was terrible. Expected from you though,” Louis sighed. 

Harry chuckled, his head coming down to take support on Louis’ shoulder. Louis straightened himself, trying to regulate his breathing as they sat there.

The night was growing old and the chilly air was getting too much. Louis could feel the omega’s shaky breathing. He pulled Harry closer, against his chest where Harry hid his face, at the crook of his neck. 

“I am sorry,” Louis choked out, his eyes welling up again, blinking fast did not help, “I am so sorry. I know…” he had to stop to wipe his nose with the back of his hand, “I know it does not even crack the corner of the whole load of shit that I put you through and I understand that but…”

Harry sat silently, his nose nudging against Louis’ throat. Louis gripped the omega closer, tightly holding onto him for assurance that Harry was not leaving.  
“I am not sure what I can do to show you that I regret everything. I regret my words, my action and my indifference. There was nothing good about me. I was a trash throughout our…”

_What was it?_

Louis could not call it a relationship, not when he was that woeful. He was abusive if he could accept it to himself. 

Harry helped him to get the words.

“Our rendezvous?”

Louis chuckled, “yeah. We can call it that. I am… I am so sorry, Harry.”

Harry sighed, “I don’t hold any grudges against you, Louis. I never did. It’s fine. All of that…” the omega sounded thoughtful, “you needed someone to drain yourself and I…”

Louis waited, anxiously, for Harry to say what the omega thought and Harry took his time, thinking and then nuzzling closer. 

“I was there because I wanted to. It was not like you forced me into anything.”

“I forced my mark on you,” Louis whispered, too low for his own ears. He was scared that saying it aloud would make it even more revolting. 

Harry shivered in his arms. Louis could feel the tremor in him and he cursed inwardly. The pain was intensifying in his chest as Harry stayed silent. 

“I am not going to say that it was a pleasant experience. No,” Harry whispered, making Louis feel even more scanty, “but I guess…”

Harry chuckled then, shaking his head, “the mark… in a twisted way, I feel… good about it.”

Louis looked down at the omega, his eyes wide and expression surely confused because Harry blushed and looked away. 

“Good?” Louis asked, voice low and hesitant. 

_What was good about that mark?_

Harry shrugged, “when I lay in my bed, awake and so alone… the mark throbs. As if your heartbeat. I feel like you are there, with me. It helps me sleep. It helps my anxiety. When I feel insecure about my body and everyone stares as I walk down the roads with a pregnant belly, the mark burns in my skin, making the onlookers think that I am mated. That helps, you know? If I were pregnant without a mark, everyone would openly point at me or maybe come up to me to harass me. It saves me from people. They think I have an alpha to guard me. That helps.”

Louis tried to understand the omega’s words, his mind whirling through it all. He looked down at the scarf around Harry’s throat. 

The itching under Louis’ skin was unbearable. It was there for a long time now. The craving was not new, Louis had held it back for a long time but as he looked down at the omega’s covered throat, he could not anymore. 

“Can I see it?” he whispered out. His eyes on the omega’s scarf. 

Harry’s smile dropped, his hands gripped the ice-cream bowl tightly and those eyes closed with a shaky breath. 

Louis waited… his breathing too loud for the tranquil night. 

“Louis? Are you there?”

Harry jolted away from him as if burnt and Louis grasped the thin air as he reached out. Harry was out of reach in a second. He watched Harry hurrying away.

“Excuse me,” Harry said as he passed Arthur.

Louis heard it.

The slight tremor in the omega’s voice. 

Harry was gone before Arthur could say anything.

Louis looked down to see the broken bowl under his feet; the ice cream smeared everywhere. 

Louis chuckled as he looked down at the disaster. He thought that maybe that broken bowl was his heart and that scattered ice-cream was just his unsettled feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little preview -  
> Something steamy is coming. Not too much but yeah. Now...  
> between Louis and Arthur or Louis and Harry?  
> Only time will tell.  
> Wait for the next chapter to find out. ;) :P  
> ::::::::::::::::::::::::::  
> How was it? Let me know with a comment and leave kudos. Please. Thanks. x

**Author's Note:**

> So? How was it?


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